


Your Heart's Shield

by Marvel SWEET-E (wellaty)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Steve Rogers, BAMF Tony Stark, Domestic Avengers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Except for the superserum, F/M, Female Tony Stark, Fluff and Angst, Guide Tony Stark, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Sentinel Senses, Sentinel Steve Rogers, Slow Build, Soul Bond, Soulmates, The Avengers Are Good Bros, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Young Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2020-02-28 05:40:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 51,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18750136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellaty/pseuds/Marvel%20SWEET-E
Summary: Steve and Bucky were born around the 1980s, Project Rebirth only happened recently, and had two volunteers on which the serum had been adminestered. Also, the Starks had a girl whose name is Natasha Antonia Stark and who instead of inheriting her father's company, became a SHIELD Agent.And a badass one at that.Basically it's an Agents AU with a female Tony Stark where a mix of domesticity between the Avengers as well as the interesting dynamics of sentinels and guides is guaranteed.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, it's been a long time. This is something I've recently started working on. An Agents AU that I hope you'll like...  
> My inspiration certainly comes from MCU canon and some, very mild, Agents of SHIELD References, but nothing in the story actually follows any of those two's plots.  
> 

 

 

 

“This is Agent Fleming, cover blown. I repeat cover blown.” The agent’s voice sounded through the com line, as several grunts and gunshots were heard in the background. “Requesting immediate backup!”

“Rogers! You’re on.” Director Fury, head of SHIELD, announced, looking in the blond man’s direction.

The muscular agent nodded at the director before activating his team’s com line. “We were called in!”

“I’m flying the Quinjet in your direction, Cap.” A female voice relayed.

“Copy that.” The Captain then looked at the Director. “Orders, Director?”

“Just get that team out safely. Everything else is salvageable.”

“Understood.” He replied, before running out of the room and into the Quinjet waiting for him. “Widow. Hawkeye. Falcon. Winter. Our mission objective is to evacuate our SHIELD agents. Location coordinates were communicated to the Quinjet…”

“Estimated time of arrival is 1 minute.” Hawkeye informed.

“Winter. You have the back. Widow. Falcon. Cover the sides. Hawkeye. Nest up. I’ll be tak-” The Captain was interrupted by Agent Hill’s voice sounding through the Quinjet.

“Cap! Situation contained. No reported casualties.”

“The fuck happened?” Winter exclaimed.

Agent Coulson answered, his voice laced with pride. “Well… One of our agents came through.”

Fury added. “You’re closest. Bring the team back to the Helicarrier for debrief and the prisoners for investigation. Romanoff, Barton, you’ll be in charge of investigating them.”

“Well… That was incredibly weird.” Falcon responded.

Clint nodded while frowning and landing the Quinjet at the destination. “I know right, why would they send us if the situation could have been so easily handled… Weren’t we there strictly for backup in case things went extremely wrong?”

“I guess we just have to get out and see for ourselves what happened there, don’t we?” Natasha quirked an eyebrow at them before looking expectedly at the confused Captain. “Steve?”

Steve sighed before signaling for the team to move in. They all trickled out of the jet and onto the scene, weary and combat-ready, only for them to pass by unconscious people scattered all over the place as well as a pair of heels on either side of the hall.

Once they reached the room, where most of the action transpired, they were met with about 50 men and women all tied up in a circle in the center of the room grunting in pain and confusion. The left side of the room had most of the SHIELD agents sitting on the bar slightly injured drinking beer and laughing while a woman sat on a stool working furiously on a laptop.

Bucky was about to talk when the brunette working on the laptop beat him. “You guys are late for the party. I’m sorry you were called in and had your time wasted, Flamingo here got a bit trigger happy.”

One of the agents blushed a bit and managed to look flustered as he responded. “My bad, Agent Stark.”

“Who the hell are you?” The Captain snapped as the confusion started to wear him out.

“Stark?” Natasha inquired.

“Hey Nat. Miss me?” The brown-haired woman acknowledged their presence for the first time since they got here, and turned to look at them with a little grin on her face.

“Well that explains… Everything.” Natasha announced, smiling back.

“Oh really, that’s great… Cause we have absolutely no idea what’s happening!” Sam threw his hands up in the air. “Enlighten us, Nat.”

“You guys really don’t know who Stark is?” Clint asked with a raised eyebrow. When the three men shook their heads, the agent sighed.

“Get on with it, Barton.” Steve’s patience was starting to wear thin. 

“She joined SHIELD Academy two years ago, and became a member of SHIELD in record time. Most of us take about five years to be welcomed into the organization she made it in two.” The group’s eyebrows shot up at that. “Did you not notice how our equipment as well as our transportation means were all improved in this time span? There was a huge difference between the oldest versions and the newest ones. She’s already the new head of R&D. Bucky your arm was her doing.” The man with the metal arm looked positively shocked at that.

“Well, Captain.” Stark winked at the Captain. “You wanted to know who I am. You’ve got it.” She went back to work on her laptop. “The name is Natasha Antonia Stark, by the way.”

“Who did that?” He gestured at all of the captives and unconscious bodies scattered around before noticing Toni’s bare feet.

Agent Fleming was quick to respond. “We managed to take a quarter of them down before Agent Stark took care of the rest.” 

“I’d say, it was more around the 12% figure.”

“12%?”

“An argument can be made for 15%, Flamingo. Right, Beverly Hills?” She addressed the other woman on the SHIELD team. “Come on, we both know you guys would’ve been toast if it weren’t for me.”

“We didn’t know you had this skill-set, honestly.” She responded.

“I must admit you looked stunning taking down those two brutes with one blow each.” One of the agents smirked at her while gulping down his beer.

“Rumlow weren’t you in charge of this operation?” Falcon asked.

“Affirmative. Situation got out of hand and the target made us… Fortunately enough, we had a secret weapon.” He winked at Toni who huffed while she continued typing at the laptop before exclaiming.

“Got it!”

“We thought she was sent on this mission as tech support. We had no idea she was also the backup.” Rumlow continued.

“That’s an awful lot of jobs for one Agent.” Steve remarked.

“Meh, it was easy. Had it handled before the better backup arrived… I guess this ought to give me a few good points in my favor.” She smirked as she got out of her seat, closed the laptop and disconnected the flash-drive before pointing at the team of baddies. “Now come on… Good ol’ Fury must be dying to see us. Little does he know we come bearing gifts…”

She walked away like she owned the place, bending down to pick up her heels and putting them back on. Noticing that there wasn’t anyone following her, the young agent turned around. “Aren’t you guys coming?” She urged them. “We have a lot of captives to move to the Quinjet.”

“It’s not your call to make, Stark.” Steve bit back a growl as he forced himself to unclench his fists. Toni held her two hands up in surrender, tilting her head down in submission as she waited for him to issue an order. His anger only simmered more viciously as he realized she was merely entertaining him, and he ground out begrudgingly. “Pack up your things, and get those guys on the jet.”

She smirked triumphantly before sauntering out of the building and towards the Quinjet while talking through the earpiece she was still wearing… Due to Steve’s enhanced hearing, he was able to pick up her conversation with Agent Coulson. “You didn’t tell me our backup was going to be so insufferable.” He heard a faint murmuring through the earpiece; whatever the agent replied, made Toni snort. “Yeah, got what we were after.” A small pause. “You knew I’d get the job done when you sent me, stop sounding so surprised, Phil. It’s unbecoming.”

“Stevie.” Bucky’s voice made him concentrate back on his immediate surroundings. “You lost your cool there for a second. Are you sure everything’s okay?”

“Yeah… I guess, I just hate not knowing what we’re dealing with.” Steve gritted out before hauling three guys up on their feet and dragging them out of the building.

“She’s a new recruit apparently. We all were kind of brash and overconfident at first.” Bucky said before clapping him on his shoulders. “Go easy on her, Captain.”

“That’s right! Barton, Romanoff, how do you know her?” Sam asked as the group of them escorted the prisoners onto the Quinjet.

“Well. She’s Coulson’s protégé. Much to Director Fury and Agent Hill’s chagrin.” Clint chuckled.

“Clint and I were the original Coulson protégés. So we met her while she was still in SHIELD Academy. Coulson had sent us to help out in the martial arts and targeting training, and she was there. Her fighting skills impressed me even though it hasn’t been a year since she joined the Academy. For Clint, it was more like, two seconds after meeting each other, the two of them went to prank every single person in the Academy.” Natasha smirked.

“Yeah… These were good times.” He chuckled to himself. “These two managed to strike a partnership quickly…” The archer remarked, suppressing a small shiver. “It terrifies me to think what the two of them can do, were they to aim for world domination.”

“Look who’s talking! She and I got nothing on her and you. The combination of Toni and Clint is a chemical recipe for disaster.” Natasha countered.

“Aw I didn’t know you were jealous!” Clint cooed at Natasha who immediately delivered a blow to the head.

“Why are we abusing Katniss?” Toni greeted them as they were the last to enter the Quinjet and the ramp closed. 

“She’s jealous of our relationship.”

Toni looked pitifully at him. “Oh darling if only you knew…” 

Natasha smirked at that before dragging Clint to the pilot seats with her. “We’ll fly you guys back to the Helicarrier.”

“Need any help?” Toni asked.

“You know how to pilot these things?” Sam asked incredulously.

“It’s part of our training in SHIELD Academy.” Toni replied before going to sit next to Rumlow. “Besides… This is my design. I know how to maneuver it better than all of you combined.”

“Fury didn’t tell me he was calling you in.” Steve seethed at her.

“There’s a lot of things Fury doesn’t tell you.” Toni shrugged. “And even if he did… Would you have known who he was talking about?”

“Why? You’ve been a SHIELD Agent for two years now… Why would he send you on such an important assignment?” Bucky inquired.

“Did everything you’ve seen mean nothing to you?” She said with a quirked eyebrow.

“All it seems to tell me is that you’re a very conceited person.” Steve exclaimed in a serious tone.

Toni crossed her legs together. “Am I?” She looked at Rumlow who tilted his head to the side with a small smirk. “I guess I am. What are you gonna do about it, Capsicle?” She smiled sharply at him.

Steve clenched his teeth. “You may not be a threat but you better stop pretending to be a hero.”

“Steve.” Bucky warned him in the background, but Steve didn’t seem to hear him.

“A hero? Like you? You’re a laboratory experiment Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle.”

“You sure know a lot about me, about us even. While we’re here with no idea you even existed.”

“Oh I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about me, soon enough, Cap.” She said that with disdain.

“We’ve arrived.” Natasha announced.

“Guess we’ll have to cut this short.” Toni stood up along with the team. “Toodles. If I never see you again Cap, it’ll be too soon.”

 

 

 

After taking the prisoners down to their cells, Steve’s team went up to meet with Dr. Fury, Agent Hill and Agent Coulson.

“I’m sorry Captain. There was a misunderstanding.” Director Fury admitted.

“You didn’t tell me you already had a backup in place.” Steve accused him.

“It was her first time in an undercover mission. A lot of things could go wrong. Forgive me for being paranoid.” The director deadpanned.

“She was a real pain in the ass.” Sam confessed.

Hill conceded. “She grows on you.”

“She’s your people?” Bucky nodded in Coulson’s direction.

“I met her when she was still in SHIELD Academy.” Coulson told them. “She caught my eye… I was the one who recommended we send her on this mission.”

“You can trust his judgement, Steve.” Natasha gave Steve the advice.

“Yeah! We’re living examples…” Clint commented as he tapped him on the shoulder.

“It’s not so uncommon for people to misjudge.” Steve exclaimed.

“I don’t appreciate you doubting Coulson, Captain.” Fury noted. “Coulson and Hill were with me when we founded SHIELD. If there’s anyone I trust here, it’s these two.”

“Just like that, I’m supposed to trust her?”

“We’re not telling you to trust her. We’re telling you to calm down.”

“Really Stevie… You’re too angry.” Bucky remarked. “The last time I saw you this angry was ten years ago.”

“She’s just… So…”

“Insufferable is the word you’re looking for.” Hill supplied.

“That.” Steve nodded.

“Fact of the matter is that the mission was successfully carried out.” Natasha reported.

“Which is what matters.” Clint added.

“Right. This meeting is over. You’re dismissed.” Fury announced before leaving.

Everyone exited the room except for Steve and Coulson. “I guess we both have something to say.” Coulson smiled. “I’ll go first, if you don’t mind.”

“No go ahead.”

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this new chapter and thank you!

 

 

 

Everyone exited the room except for Steve and Coulson. “I guess we both have something to say.” Coulson smiled. “I’ll go first, if you don’t mind.”

“No go ahead.”

“Toni is… An acquired taste.” Coulson admitted. “The two of you will meet more frequently from now on because she’s progressed from being a scientist agent to a field agent.” He informed him while putting his hand on Steve’s shoulder. “I’m not going to tell you that she’s an awesome person. All I’m saying is that she’s an important asset… You can at least treat her as such… Extend to her the same courtesy you would extend to the newbies… Cause she is. Even if she does act like she’s on a different class altogether.”

Steve seemed to consider him for a moment. “You really care about her, don’t you?”

“She joined the Academy when she was still 19 years old. Became a SHIELD scientist at 21, and a field agent at 23… That woman is a force to be reckoned with. I just think, she’ll need to have someone watching her back.”

“And you want it to be me? We don’t exactly get along.”

“Whose fault is that?” Coulson asked.

Steve managed to look sheepish. “I may have been a little too hard on her.”

“I don’t want to know what happened back there. I just want to ensure you give her a chance.”

“There’s a story there… Isn’t it?”

“I knew her parents… They died in a car accident. Her dad used to work for us. He was part of Project Rebirth, I’m sure you met him, his name was Howard Stark… Her mother, Maria Stark, and Agent Carter were the fiercest combination of agents SHIELD had ever known.”

“So that explains why she seemed to know more about us than we know about her. I was right to suspect she was related to them.”

“She was 15 years old when the car accident killed her parents and the family’s butler. Peggy took her under her wing, she shielded her for 4 years in which Toni went and got 4 doctorates from MIT-…”

Steve choked. “4 doctorates in 4 years?!”

“Exactly… And then Peggy died… Toni apparently always insisted on joining SHIELD at such a young age only Peggy always told her to wait. With no Peggy around, Toni left everything behind and entered the Academy… Everything included her father’s company, Stark Industries. Howard’s partner, Obadiah Stane, took on the realms and changed the name to Stane Enterprises.” Coulson said. “When I first met her, I didn’t know it was her… That Toni was the same Toni, Peggy never shut up about; the girl who had inherited the insane gene from Maria Stark and the genius gene from Howard Stark. However, that day, I was in charge of overseeing the Academy’s martial arts training and I happened to watch Toni’s fighting style… I immediately remembered Peggy’s, and when I approached her with the fact that I knew Agent Carter… The first thing she does was grabbing my hand and twisting it behind my back while saying ‘Just because you knew Aunt Peggy, doesn’t mean you’re entitled to get to know me.’ With that she released me and huffed in annoyance before making her leave. I made it my personal mission to occasionally check up on her. I’d watch her fail at one task one day, and the second she’s back at it getting the first position. I’d discover she’d been training in the night in order to nail everything she had learned on that same day. I’d see her cry herself to sleep when Peggy’s death anniversary and her parents’ pass by. I’m the one who recommended we recruit her, two years ago…”

“Fury accepted? Just like that.”

“Under one condition: She won’t be a field agent until I deem her ready for it. Until such a time where we can send her on missions, I am to train her.”

“Which is what you’ve been doing these past two years.”

“Exactly.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you two have a lot more in common than you think…”

“I don’t see it.”

“You will… Soon enough, Cap.” Coulson nodded at him before leaving him alone.

 

 

 

The next day, Steve and his team were given a new mission in which they’d have to follow the lead acquired from the data collected yesterday. They were to work with the whole STRIKE Team lead by none other than Rumlow.

“Stark isn’t coming?” Bucky asked.

“She’s not on this team… She isn’t on any team actually.” Rollins answered.

“We should ask her to join us.” Rumlow observed. “I’m sure she’ll be a valuable addition.” Rollins and he exchanged sinister looks.

“She doesn’t strike me as the type to join a disciplined team.” Steve added a bit too quickly.

Rumlow smirked at that. “We can be very persuasive.”

“Toni’s stubborn as fuck so good luck with that, really.” Clint snorted.

“I like challenges.” Brock added.

“We can see that.” Sam commented just as Natasha’s voice sounded in the Quinjet.

“ETA 1 minute… Get ready.”

 

 

 

“Brucie Bear! I’m back.” Toni announced the next day as she made her way into the lab.

“Toni! How was your first mission?”

“Epic at first, then I met Captain America, and he sucked all the fun out of it.”

“You’ve met Steve Rogers?!” Bruce said sarcastically, making fun of Toni who looked betrayed. “I’m sorry!” He laughed. “Why is it such a big deal?”

“He’s the guy, my dad never shut up about. As expected, we hated each other’s guts… I have no idea how Nat and Clint manage to tolerate this guy.” Toni threw her hands up in the air. “You remember that metal arm we worked on? The one that was supposed to end up replacing a guy’s arm. Well I met that guy too he’s the Captain’s second-in-command, the Winter Soldier. How did we not know that?”

“I knew it. Agent Hill told us we were doing it for SWORD’s Winter Soldier… I guess you were just too excited about the concept to actually listen.”

“SWORD?”

“It’s what they call themselves.”

“That’s like super lame… All of SHIELD’s names are cheesy. I mean SHIELD? SWORD? STRIKE? Next thing you know another group will emerge and be called KATANA.” There was a small pause before Toni sighed tiredly. “There already is, isn’t it?”

Bruce smiled apologetically at her. “I’m sure you can find something better.”

“I can. I just won’t bother… This is embarrassing.”

Her fellow scientist chuckled lightly before gesturing towards his work. “Better get back to work. We have a lot of things due in the next few days…”

“You’re absolutely right. Except I finished everything yesterday… Therefore, I’m free to do what I want with no obligations whatsoever.”

“What’s that I hear? Someone’s free to do as that someone pleases because that someone has no obligations?” A strawberry blonde headed woman entered the lab.

“Oh no, Pep! Please don’t! Please…” Toni begged pitifully.

“Director Fury needs you to design another transport vehicle.”

“Fury is a needy son of a bitch.”

“Don’t be so crass.” Pepper scolded her.

“Can’t I just take a day off?! I’m seriously tired.”

“You did. Yesterday.” Bruce remarked.

“I was on a fucking mission in which shit hit the fan and I had to fight a hundred men alone.”

“Exactly… A day off from lab work.” Pepper added while nodding in Bruce’s direction.

Toni pouted. “Aren’t you the one always yelling at me because I don’t get enough rest?”

“I am… I also know that you’ve slept like a baby yesterday after that mission and that you had completed all of your projects in the lab. If I didn’t know that, I would’ve certainly shoved Fury’s demands right up his ass.”

Toni gasped. “What were you saying about being crass?”

“I’m allowed.”

“You’re unfair.” Toni sighed. “A new transport vehicle… What for?”

“See, I knew you’d cooperate.” Pepper smiled innocently at her. “He wants something like the Helicarrier, but more compact I guess and a bit similar to the Quinjet. It’s not supposed to be a floating base for the organization, it’s only supposed to be a floating base for one team with sleeping quarters, and all that jazz.”

“I can do that. Any special request?”

“Nothing really. You’re free to do as you please with no obligations whatsoever.” Pepper smirked at her.

“Yeah rub it in my face, you vicious woman.”

Pepper chuckled. “I’m really happy your first mission was successful. Agent Fleming’s been gushing all over you and telling stories about your heroics… Said something about you using every object at your disposal to further your chances… Something about throwing your heels at people.” She quirked an eyebrow at her. “You’re welcome for that.”

“It was such a badass move I couldn’t help but emulate it.”

“Next time I’ll patent my moves.” The agent smiled playfully at the genius before moving towards the door. “Will that be all Agent Stark?”

“That will be all, Agent Potts.”

“See you around, Bruce!” Pepper smiled at him before leaving.

“She’s a force to be reckoned with.” Bruce admitted.

“No wonder, she and Hill get along.” Toni added before going to her corner of the lab. “You’d think being heads of R&D department will get us a bit of a leeway, but no!”

“Stop complaining, Toni… We’re both workaholics and we know it. SHIELD’s just exploiting that.”

“I know… But I have side projects I’d like to work on.”

“You’ll just have to multitask, don’t you?”

“I guess I will.” She smiled at him before focusing on her work.

 

 

 

“Captain, there’s a bomb… It’s like nothing I’ve seen before. I think that one wrong move and it’ll blow on the spot. It’s set to blow in less than a minute and a half.” Rumlow reported back to Steve.

“Does anyone know how to defuse it?” He asked, and he was met with collective shakes of the head. “Can we get everyone out from the radius of the blast?”

“Negative, we still have 75 seconds.” Rollins added.

“We can try calling, Toni.” Rumlow offered.

Natasha nodded at that. “She might be able to help.”

Steve clenched his fist. “Do it.”

“Calling her.” Clint announced as his phone rang.

“You have her on speed dial?” Sam asked incredulously.

“You guys are too chipper for people who are about to die.” Rollins remarked.

“It’s practically in our team’s description.” Bucky supplied. “Near-death experience constantly.”

“Yes, Katniss?” Toni appeared on his screen.

“We have no time, can you defuse this bomb?” Clint asked as he switched to the rear camera and showed her the bomb.

“This is… Just cut the red wire.” Toni said.

“That’s it?!” Steve gaped disbelievingly. “Couldn’t we have known that?”

“There’s 10 red wires, Toni.” Rumlow noted.

“The biggest one.”

“30 seconds.”

“They’re the same size!”

“Are you messing with us?! It’s literally gonna blow. Get serious!” Steve hissed.

“Easy, Captain… If I wanted you guys dead, this isn’t how I’d go about getting it done.” Toni smirked. “They should all be connected.”

“Are we basing this on a whim?” Steve’s voice seemed skeptical.

“10 seconds, Cap.”

“You either trust my whim or you don’t, that’s your problem not mine.” Toni glared at them before closing the line.

“I’m cutting it.” Rumlow said, just as he cut one of the wires.

When nothing happened, everyone breathed out just as Bucky looked in Steve’s direction. “You’re being really unfair with her.” He whispered.

“She just infuriates me.” Steve confesses while sighing. “I don’t know why.”

“Mission successful.” Clint announced.

“I don’t know how comfortable I am being with people with no self preservation skills.” Rollins commented.

“You’re a worrywart aren’t you?” Natasha crossed her arms before nodding in Bucky’s direction. “Your arm okay?”

“I can’t really move it… I don’t know what they did, but I think the circuits were fried.” Bucky answered. “Toni made it?”

“Yes, she did.” Clint answered.

“Then I’ll pass by her lab, to see if it can be fixed.” Bucky said, looking pointedly at Steve who frowned. “Let’s move out people.”

 

 

 

“I seriously don’t know what his problem is.” Toni groaned. “You help him out, and he goes all high and mighty with you.”

“He was stressed out.” Bruce explained.

“He has a stick up his ass.” Toni seethed before turning back to her project. “I honestly don’t see what everyone sees in him. Even Aunt Peggy used to praise him.”

“Maybe there’s something you’re missing.”

“Or maybe, no one ever met this side of him.”

“So now you’re special?” Bruce chuckled. “Only you, Toni, would somehow turn a situation like this one to a compliment to your stellar personality.”

Toni laughed looking back at Bruce. “It’s a gift.”

“It really is.” Bruce left his workspace and went to stand by Toni’s side. “What are you working on?”

“The thing Fury wanted from me. I think I finished designing it… I’m calling it Bus. It’s based off the plane design, but working on repulsor technology.”

“Repulsor Technology?”

“That’s something I’ve been working on for some time now… I think it’s ready.”

“And you’re gonna test it on the Bus?” Bruce asked.

“Pretty much… Yeah.”

“Shouldn’t you test it?”

“My calculations are never wrong…”

“Your confidence knows no bounds.”

“It’s a gift.”

“You’re unbelievable, Toni. I hope you know that.”

“I wouldn’t go so far…”

“Tell me more about this repulsor thing.” Just like that, Toni was off explaining all the physics behind the new concept all the while actually designing the first repulsor prototype.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what exactly is Steve's problem with Toni? And how are things going to develop from here?


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

The next day, Bucky stood in the section where Toni’s lab is supposed to be, hesitating on whether to meet her or not, when Agent Potts passed by. She stopped in her tracks and walked up to him. “Why do you look so lost, Barnes?”

“I just don’t know…”

“Why are you here for?”

“My metal arm… It’s compromised.”

Pepper’s eyes widened before smiling at him. “Got you. Toni’s over there, come with me.”

“Toni? You know her?” He asked.

“Everyone does… But if you’re asking me if we’re friends, then yes. We are.”

“Is she that popular?”

“You don’t know her?”

“Until two days ago, I didn’t even know she existed, let alone that she was the one responsible for that arm.”

Pepper seemed stunned at that before she regained her composure as she continued leading him through the mess of people in the hallway. “I guess it’s understandable. SWORD was in the middle of a long mission when Toni became a SHIELD Agent. By the time you came back all the hype had died down. I’m just surprised that in the past year, you guys never met her or even heard of her.”

“Natasha and Clint seem to know her.”

“They do… Wilson, Rogers and you were also part of the military until two years ago, when you guys retired from it and joined SHIELD full time and not as liaisons and occasional military backup… It’s not so surprising for you to be completely clueless regarding the Academy, new and potential recruits and all that. Toni’s a workaholic… Most of the time she stays in her lab and when she does come out, it’s usually at odd hours when no one’s around. It’s why you didn’t meet her until her first mission as a field agent.”

“That makes sense.”

“I heard that Rogers and Toni aren’t getting along.” Pepper’s tone was inquisitive.

Bucky snorted at that. “Understatement. We just got off on the wrong foot… One minute we were called in because the situation was hopeless, the next it was contained by someone we didn’t even know.”

“Doesn’t really explain why the atmosphere is so charged between them.”

“Stark just rubs him the wrong way.”

“I admit she has that effect on people…”

“Steve… He’s usually not that hard on someone he just met.” Bucky shrugged. “I’m trying to extend an olive branch here.”

“She’ll appreciate it, I’m sure.” Pepper nodded at him before placing her hand over the scanner.

The door opened for the two of them, and a different world presented itself in front of Barnes. The lab seemed divided into two parts: One more focused on Engineering and the other on Biochem Research. The former was tidied up and very organized while the latter seemed like complete and utter chaos: There were holograms all over the place, electrical parts strewn on three different worktables, robots moving around the lab, a screwdriver occasionally flying up in the space before colliding with other tools and falling on the ground.

“Toni… You have a guest, can you be a bit more tactful?” Pepper asked while making her way through the lab.

When no answer came, Pepper looked in Bruce’s direction, and the scientist gestured at his ears. “She’s been like that since yesterday.”

“Since yesterday?” Bucky frowned.

Suddenly, a whine sounded in the lab followed by a gush of wind and the sound of breaking glass, falling material and clattering. The three of them looked in the sound’s direction and found Toni lying on a worktable on her back, a strange item attached to her hand and a groan falling from between her lips.

“Oh my God! Toni!!” Pepper muttered before rushing in Toni’s direction, appearing in front of the brunette and tugging the earphones out of her ears while helping her up. “Are you okay?”

“Pepper what are you doing here?” Toni spoke while a line of blood slowly appeared on her cheek and a droplet fell slowly.

Something exploded in the background, Bruce sighed while Bucky looked alarmed. “Is that normal?”

“Unfortunately, it is very normal.” Bruce nodded while going to stop the fire. “With her.”

“You’re Agent Bruce Banner, right?” Bucky inquired while offering his flesh hand. “Bucky Barnes.”

“I know who you are. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

“Barnes?!” Toni was surprised to say the least; she removed the smoking gadget from her hand with a small wince. “Why are you here?” She looked at him doubtfully.

“My arm is compromised.”

“It is?!” She replied before walking towards him and immediately getting a hold of his arm. “What happened?!” Bucky was startled as he saw Toni invading his space and holding his metal arm the same way one holds fragile glass. The genius picked up this small detail as she let go and took a step back. “Sorry…”

Bucky was hasty to explain his reaction. “No! No. I don’t mind… You just surprised me.” He shook his head. “I came down here to ask you if you can fix it… I recently discovered that you were the one who made this.”

“Bruce made it.”

Bruce chuckled at that. “I only had a hand in the neurological part. And you had already done half of my job for me when you presented it to me.”

The soldier watched the interaction as a small genuine smile began to appear on his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t come thank you properly… Until two or three days ago, I didn’t even know you existed. I’m sorry for that, too.”

“Eh… I honestly do not care. Now tell me what happened to my baby?”

“The arm?” Toni nodded enthusiastically.

Pepper sighed. “We’ll be talking about this, Toni.” She gestured towards the mess the genius had created. “Have fun!”

The strawberry-headed agent walked out of the lab while Bucky was completely amazed as one of Toni’s robots approached them while holding the woman’s box of tools only for it to hit the edge of the table, making all of the tools fall down on the floor. Toni made a small noise in her throat before turning sharply in the robot’s direction. “DUM-E for the love of God, I’ll donate you to a community college. This is embarrassing. Sit in that corner right there.”

“You talk to your robots?” Bucky said incredulously before giving himself whiplash as his eyes widened when the robot actually whined and looked positively remorseful. “The hell…”

“Weirded out?”

“More like… Amazed.” Bucky caught Bruce smiling in the corner of the room.

Toni stood there, silent, for a second as she watched him with a small frown before a small smile appeared on her face. “There’s two other robots like DUM-E, but with different personalities.” Bucky’s entire facial expression softened up at Toni’s excitement. “Butterfingers. U. Show yourselves.” The two robots came forth and made what Bucky supposed to be a hand wave. “U, you’ll be taking DUM-E’s place today as my assistant. Now get closer, we have to fix this masterpiece.”

Just like that, Toni began working as the soldier sat on a stool with the metal arm propped up on the workbench. They engaged in small talk, but most of the time they stayed silent with Toni humming a few songs while she focused on the circuits in front of her. Bucky couldn’t help but watch her work seamlessly and in her element, comfortable in a way he didn’t get to see even after they wrapped up that first mission. He also saw how from time to time, Bruce appeared on Toni’s side and gave her his input on some of the algorithms projected on that hologram in front of her; the one Bucky was pretty sure had something to do with his arm. It wasn’t until Toni stopped actually working on the arm, and started focusing more on the hologram while instructing him to stay still, did Bucky get the courage to say.

“Steve isn’t usually a mean person.” He saw Toni tense and steal a glance in his direction before continuing what she was working on.

“I really don’t know what brought this on, Brooklyn.” Bucky was startled at the name she addressed him with.

“Brooklyn?”

“You’re from there, no? You said it yourself.”

“It’s just…” Bucky suddenly realized what she did. “No… No you’re not changing the subject.”

“I think I just did, a moment ago, and it seemed to have worked.”

“But it didn’t.”

“Didn’t it?” She smirked at him only for it to disappear from her face as soon as it appeared. “What do you want, Barnes?”

“I don’t want anything, I just… I wanted to make things right.”

“You did nothing wrong.”

“But he did.” Toni looked at him. “Steve did.”

“I don’t care, Barnes. I really don’t.”

“Something tells me that I shouldn’t believe you.”

Toni practically snapped at that as she pushed her rolling stool away from him and turned her back to him. “What you’ve been here for an hour, and now suddenly you’re an expert in reading me?”

Bucky raised his flesh hand in what he hoped looked like a sign of surrender before sighing audibly. “I’m just following my guts, Toni. They’re telling me that Steve couldn’t have been any more wrong about you than he is.”

“Unfortunately, assuming that was true, you’re not the one who should be here telling me this.” Toni looked at him with doubtful eyes.

“You’re right. I’m not. I’m here to say what he won’t say.”

“That is?”

“You remind him a lot of Agent Carter and Agent Stark except you exhibit nothing of their personality.” Toni’s eye actually twitched at that. “To him… At the time, when they injected us with the super soldier serum, Steve was… not like that. He was scrawny, thin and pale; he had a laundry list of sicknesses, ailments and allergies. He was most often than not bed-ridden and when he wasn’t he would usually be out there getting beaten up by some bully in the back alley of a theater or a restaurant, he didn’t really have a preference you know.”

“That sounds like him.”

“I’m glad you think that. Naturally, he wasn’t really popular with girls or women, in general. He was the worst, and that still counted as an understatement… Most of the women he met, judged him for his looks. And then he met those two agents at SHIELD, they were much older than him, but what really left an ever-lasting impression on him was the way they treated him. Like a valuable soldier, an important asset and an indispensable addition; They alongside Doctor Erskine gave him purpose. Steve has known them for, Agent Carter’s kindness and resilience and Agent Stark’s elegance and efficiency. He and I went on a long mission with the Army, when we came back they were both dead. And then we met you, and well… The rest you know.”

Toni studied him for a moment before actually sneering at him. “And what somehow I should understand why he’s being such a condescending prick? The fact that I’m not good enough to honor his fucking memory of my parent and my adoptive parent is supposed to give me solace? I honestly have no idea what you were aiming for Barnes, but if it’s anger you wanted, well you got it. Now get the fuck out of my lab.” Bucky noticed that the loading bar which was displayed on the hologram she was working on was at 100%, and he panicked as he stood up and unplugged his metal arm.

“This was definitely not my intention! I was just relaying his point of view, I didn’t agree with it. And I definitely don’t think you should accept it and live with him being such an ass to you! You don’t deserve this.”

The genius snapped again and got up and right into Bucky’s personal space, looking up at him defiantly with enough disdain in her eyes to make him shiver. “Don’t act like you know me, Barnes. You don’t. I got your message loud and clear. Do not make me repeat myself, get out.”

“I’m not getting out, Toni! I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t!”

“I clearly did.”

“I thought I just told you to stop acting like you know me.” She seethed at him.

“Toni…” He caught her arm with his metal one without realizing and squeezed it before whispering. “I don’t know you. But I’d really like to.” Some of the tension which had accumulated in Toni’s body seemed to actually settle as Bucky continued talking. “I’m sorry. I came down here to tell you I’m sorry for how Steve’s been treating you. And ended up making you think that you should forgive him as if he’s entitled to that. I want you to know that SWORD really does appreciate your help in everything, and apologizes to you for what happened in that Nice mission, we were just taken aback. As second-in-command, I really hope you accept this sincere apology.”

“Shouldn’t your Captain be doing that?” She muttered at him.

“He’ll come around. Trust me… You be you. You already seem to have a lot of people on your side…” Bucky smirked at her before throwing a glance in Bruce’s direction; the doctor seemed completely alert and ready to defend. “Steve’s stupid. But he’s not blind…” A beat of silence reigned in the lab, before Toni’s fingers wrapped around his metal arm making him realize for the first time that it had worked. “Are you a magician?”

“I prefer the term miracle maker. But whatever. Semantics.”

“My arm feels steadier and quicker.”

“It should.” Toni nodded at him before patting his hand and taking a few steps back in order to lean on the worktable. “Come by every now and then for maintenance and check-up.

Bucky smiled at her. “I most definitely will. Thank you, Toni.”

He began to leave when he heard his name being called out; he turned back and saw Toni mouthing ‘Thank you’ at him. He shrugged and mouthed back ‘Don’t mention it’ before patting the robots’ heads on his way out.

“Yeah he’s cool.” Toni admitted to herself.

“He is.” Bruce agreed. “I’m glad you guys made up.”

“Shouldn’t you be working on that paralyzing substance which Fury wanted?” Toni shot at Bruce who chuckled at her.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

“I see your arm is working.” Natasha noted as she came into SWORD’s meeting room.

“The lady fixed it.” Bucky said.

“And you came out alive?” Clint chuckled.

Bucky snorted at that. “Just barely.”

“Why wouldn’t he?” Steve frowned at that.

“They meant it as a joke, easy Steve.” Bucky was quick to explain

“I know that.”

“You sure about that?” Sam was smirking at him.

“Why are you guys teaming up on me?”

“I apologized to her on your behalf.” Bucky commented offhandedly.

“You did what?!” Steve exclaimed outrageously.

“That was the right thing to do.”

“Maybe! But why would you do it behind my back?”

“Would you have let me?”

“No, but this is not what we’re discussing.”

“This is exactly what we’re discussing. I’m the second-in-command here. My job is to put you in check, Steve, and so far, you’re not really doing a great job.” Bucky shook his head disapprovingly.

“I don’t know what’s your problem with her, exactly, but why are you so against her?” Sam asked while crossing his arms.

“I’m not.”

“You fucking are, Cap.” Clint noted dispassionately.

“Your inability to actually see how you’re discriminating her is worrying enough.” Natasha stated.

Bucky rounded the table and went to stand next to Steve, putting his arm over his shoulder and smiling at him. “You’re not usually this stupid, Stevie. If you don’t like her, that’s all fine and okay if there’s actually a reason, but usually you don’t mix the personal with the professional.” A brief silence settled in the room as everyone looked at Steve expectantly. The Captain sighed and sat down on one of the chairs.

“You know he’s right, Steve.” Natasha told him as she sat down in front of him, following by Clint, Sam and Bucky.

“Professionally speaking, there is a reason why Toni is the new head of R&D. She’s right there amongst the best minds the world has to offer. Alongside Dr. Banner with whom she’s apparently formed a partnership, they are a force to be reckoned with. We need to have her on our side, Cap.” Clint said.

“I agree with Clint, honestly.” Sam butted in. “Ever since we met her, all I seem to be hearing in SHIELD’s hallway is her name. Apparently, there’s a lot of teams who wish to have her in their ranks. We already heard Rumlow say he wants her to join STRIKE. Once it became known that she was cleared for field duty, she became an instant candidate to all of the special teams in SHIELD.”

“You want to beat them to the punch.” Steve considered.

“She’s worth that effort, Stevie.” Bucky nodded at him. “I’ve spent around two hours with her in her lab, she’s something else, alright. And I truly think that she’ll fit right in, just like I’m pretty sure that you’re wrong about her.”

“Why is everyone so intent on making me see the error of my ways?”

“Because you’re an idiot, Stevie.”

Suddenly, the door to their meeting room opened and Agent Hill appeared before them. “Director Fury wants you.”

The SWORD team members looked at each other before following her out and into Fury’s office only to find Toni already there and waiting. The genius’s eyes focused on Steve who was startled to see her. “I told you we’d be seeing more of each other in the next days, Cap.”

“I can see that.” Steve stated expressionlessly.

“You have a lousy poker face.” Toni snorted before turning her back to them and walking towards the office’s windows. “When is Fury coming, exactly?” She addressed Hill.

“You have no patience whatsoever.” Fury scolded her as he made his way into the office followed by Agent Coulson.

“Patience was never a quality I pretended to possess.”

“Even if you did I’d call bullshit.” Coulson smirked at her.

“You’re so full of shit, Coulson. I hope you know that.” Toni punched him lightly on his arm before going over to the conference table in the office, sitting down on one of the chairs and propping up her feet on the surface.

“Make yourself at home, Stark.” Fury frowned at her. “You’re way too comfortable around me. I don’t know what to make of that.”

“Don’t read too much into it… I’m known to invade people’s spaces without really being permitted. Ask Brooklyn there.” Toni nodded at the soldier who smiled at her. “That arm doing okay?”

“Better than ever. Thank you.”

“Stop messing up my masterpiece, Barnes.”

Bucky smirked at that and winked at her. “Maybe I’ll just end up doing the complete opposite. After all, it’s a free ticket to get to see you.”

The brunette smiled mischievously. “I can always delegate, you know.”

“Yeah you can’t.”

“Are you back to pretending that you know me?”

“I do know you, Toni.”

“Are we interrupting?” Fury deadpanned which made the two shut up. “Can we please get to the matter at hand?” When everyone nodded, Fury looked at Toni. “Is that thing I asked you to do ready?”

“You mean the transportation mean?” Toni inquired and got the answer in the form of a nod. “It is ready. It’s being manufactured actually right now… Should end in the next ten minutes.”

“Plenty of time to bring you guys up to speed to a very delicate mission in which SWORD will be teaming up with our resident head of R&D in order to infiltrate Hammer Industries and gather enough evidence to put Hammer away for selling defective weapons to the Army.”

“I’m in.” Toni immediately announced much to the surprise of all the people present inside this room.

“You are?” Fury asked in an uncertain tone.

“Why are you so surprised? I thought this was what you wanted.”

“To be honest, we expected a bit more arguing.” Hill explained.

“Why would I? I have a bone to pick with Hammer, I’ll be glad to have a hand in putting him away.”

“With all due respect sir… Are you really sure Agent Stark is the right person for the job?” Steve winced when he finished at the way his question came out.

Toni seethed while Bucky hissed and kicked Steve’s foot a bit too harshly as the super soldier actually grimaced. “What the hell do you mean by that?!”

“You’ve just admitted that you’ve got a personal grudge against Justin Hammer… Your lack of experience is another factor along with the fact that our team and you are not really accustomed to working together. Something this important shouldn’t be risked.”

A fit of pure rage overtook her as she shot up from her chair, walking with intent towards the Captain who took two steps back. “You’re one to talk! You want to convince me this whole opposing me joining you on a mission has absolutely nothing to do with your personal grudge against me?!” She poked him in the center of his chest before glaring at the stunned man in front of her.

“Children!” Fury’s voice sounded and silence reigned back in the room.

“We did not think the arguing will come from you Captain.” Hill remarked as she shook her head.

Fury was exasperated. “I do not really care what you guys think! There is a reason why I chose SWORD and Toni for this mission. Captain Rogers!” Steve focused at him. “You’re infiltrating Hammer Industries. Do you realize that it’s one of the most secure company in the country? Do you truly think Natasha’s hacking skills can actually get you deep enough to get what we’re after? You end up killing each other, you end up falling in love, I don’t give a damn honestly as long as you carry out the mission.” His voice was stern and bore no place for argument. “Also, you will be using Stark’s newest creation, out of all of you guys currently she’s the only one capable of piloting this thing properly, so having her on board is detrimental. Any objections?”

Negatives were heard all around the room, and Fury nodded at them. “Now get out of my face.”

They all filed out of the room and went to their rooms to get ready for the mission except for Steve who caught Toni’s arm tenderly, stopping her in her tracks. She turned to face him, and a scowl immediately appeared on her face as she tugged her arm free from his grasp. “What do you want?! Here to continue bashing me?”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Oh cut the bullshit. You don’t like me! That’s plain as day! I don’t either. This is the only thing we have in co-”

“Stark… I appreciate your help in this mission! Please take care of us.” This left the genius completely bewildered as she stood there spluttering and gaping at the super soldier like she’s seen a ghost.

“S-Shouldn’t I be saying this to you?”

“Well you’ve actually saved our hide quite a few times already. Sometimes unbeknownst to my team and me. Mostly to me though. And I realize that I failed to thank you properly.”

“You’re um… Welcome. But are you… okay?”

“I am. Are you?”

“I’m stunned. I’ll recover. Anyway. Bye!” Toni fled the scene under the watchful eye of Steve who was still looking in the direction she ran off to long after she disappeared.

 

 

 

“We ready for takeoff?” Clint called out to everyone in the jet.

“Everything’s loaded.” Sam confirmed.

“SWORD’s here. Is Toni here?” Bucky asked.

“She’s in the pilot seat.” Natasha said.

“Alright team! We’ll get going in 5 minutes.” Steve announced before tapping his earpiece. “Stark can you hear me?”

“Loud and clear.”

“Five minutes until takeoff, okay?”

“Yeah I got that, the first time.” Toni deadpanned. “You do realize this aircraft has an internal communication system yeah? It’s like any plane.” Steve blushed a little at that which had Bucky and Sam laughing at him. “Everyone fasten your seatbelts. Clint, Nat, come here so I can show you how to pilot this thing. Even though I don’t think it’ll be necessary it has an autopilot option.”

The next ten minutes passed quietly as Toni showed the SHIELD agents how to handle the Bus before setting it on autopilot and joining the rest in the communal area. Clint immediately joined Sam and Bucky who were fighting over something while Natasha sat down next to Steve to see what he’s reading; Toni stood there awkwardly looking at all of them before moving towards her room.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

 

She threw herself onto her bed and took out her tablet before starting to work on one of her side projects. Some time passed before she heard a knock on her door and saw it open slowly as Clint’s voice sounded from the other side. “Toni what are you doing in there?”

“Working…”

“Do you ever stop?”

“No sleep for the wicked.”

He opened the door completely and stepped into the room while crossing his arms. “Come on! Take a break and eat lunch with us. You have to be there.”

“Do I?”

“Do you want me to kidnap you?”

She sighed before putting down the tablet and standing up. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Your enthusiasm is contagious.” Bucky smirked at her as he appeared in front of her door too.

“You guys know we don’t actually have to coexist right?” Toni stated as she was dragged out of her room and into the common room where everyone was seated on the dining table.

“Who said anything about coexisting? We just want to meet you.” Sam insisted. “The fact that we didn’t know who you were really bothers me.”

“You don’t actually have to remind me of that every time we see each other you know?”

“They’re idiots!” Natasha commented as she gestured for Toni to come sit next to her which the genius did begrudgingly when Clint practically pushed her in Black Widow’s direction. “Humor them for the time being. I don’t think you’ll regret it.”

“I don’t actually have a choice, do I?”

“Everyone has a choice.” Steve said dutifully as he appeared with what Toni supposed was lunch. “If you don’t want to be here, you say the word and I tell them to stop bothering you.” Toni looked at Steve skeptically which made him tense up a little, so he immediately backed it up with an explanation. “I really don’t mean anything bad by it. I’m just saying that if they’re forcing you to do anything, you can just tell me.”

“You’re making it sound like we kidnapped her.” Bucky facepalmed himself as he watched his best friend get increasingly flustered. “We only threatened to.”

“Shut up punk! I’m trying here!” Steve turned at the soldier and growled at him which earned him a raised eyebrow from Toni.

“Was that a growl?” Toni asked Natasha.

“Alpha posturing and all that. You’ll get used to it. Usually I’m the only girl in the group, I’m just glad I have some backup this time around.”

“You’re scaring the new kid, Steve.” Sam scolded their Captain who deflated almost immediately before going back to looking at Toni.

“Who are you calling a kid?!” Toni bristled.

Before Steve could speak again, though, Clint interrupted him. “I realize you already know us, but I think proper introductions are necessary along with the codenames. I’m Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye. Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow. Steve Rogers AKA Captain America. James Barnes AKA Bucky AKA Winter Soldier. Sam Wilson AKA Falcon. Those are the members of SWORD, SHIELD’s elite team which was formed two years ago when Barnes, Wilson and Rogers here became full time SHIELD Agents.”

“You were with the military before weren’t you?” Toni asked the three of them.

“Yeah we were. Bucky and I were with the Army. Sam was with the Air Force, he was a pararescue.”

“Air Force, really?!” Toni perked up at that and focused in on Sam. “Do you know a certain James Rhodes?”

“Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes?” Sam’s eyes widened.

“He’s a Lt. Co. now?! WOW!” Toni gaped at him for 5 seconds before shaking her head. “He’s taller than me. Black skinned, brown hair and eyes. He’s an MIT graduate.”

“Yes that’s him!”

“Oh my God! How is he doing?! What a dumb question he’s a Lieutenant Colonel now. It’s been so long.” Toni’s eyes looked sad for a moment and then the emotion was gone. The whole group was watching the exchange intently as it was the first time they’ve seen Toni getting so lively around them.

“He’s more than fine! Badass really. How do you know him?”

“Met him at MIT… Actually he was my roommate. After I joined SHIELD and he went back to the Air Force, we didn’t stay in touch.”

“You were with him at MIT? How is it even possible? He’s like ten years older than you.”

“She’s got 4 doctorates.” Steve helpfully provided the information.

“4 DOCTORATES?” Bucky shouted disbelievingly. “You’re 23 years old.”

“You’ve done your homework.” Toni stated as she watched Steve doubtfully.

“Coulson shared that information with me?”

“Unsolicited?” She continued asking.

“Am I being interrogated?” He became increasingly flustered which made Toni’s features soften a pinch.

“Whatever. Yeah I have 4 doctorates.”

“FROM FREAKING MIT?!” Bucky continued his screaming match.

“Yes.” Toni answered while raising an eyebrow at him. “Why are you so surprised, Brooklyn? I thought you knew me.”

Bucky’s eyes widened as he spluttered for a minute or two before saying. “You can be such a bitch, Stark.”

This had the whole room erupt in laughter except for Steve’s indignant gasp followed by, “Language!”, which made the laughs grow louder and louder.

The lunch went by without any other hiccup, the whole group actually getting along perfectly fine. At some point, Steve remained quiet with his head propped up over his hand as he watched Toni laugh along with Bucky and Clint as they pulled pranks on Sam while Natasha shook her head next to them while sipping her orange juice discreetly. It was only when a crumpled tissue hit his face that he snapped out of his daze and looked at the culprit who was revealed to be Bucky; the metal armed man got up from his seat and went to sit next to Steve’s as he smirked up at him.

“Shut up.” Steve rushed to say before Bucky could start to speak.

“Yeah you can’t take that away from me.” Bucky chuckled at him before winking. “I told you she’ll fit right in. I told you that you were being unfair to her. I told you so.”

Steve gazed in Toni’s direction and saw her already looking at him while entertaining Clint. “She does fit right in, doesn’t she?”

Bucky smiled at him before calling out. “Steve’s going to make us a cheesecake guys!” The man in question looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

“You’re the best, Stevie.” Clint cheered.

“You bake?” Toni looked positively curious.

“I… Um… I cook and bake, yeah.”

“You’re the full package, huh? When did you have time to learn?”

Steve shrugged at that before getting up and going to stand up behind the kitchen counter.

“This Bus is like a five star hotel.” Clint commented.

“It has a lower level!” Bucky exclaimed.

“Yeah, half of it is for training purposes and there’s an empty room.” Sam stated.

“The empty room’s versatile I guess, isn’t it?” Natasha asked Toni. “It changes on a mission to mission basis?”

“Exactly. It can become a medical room, a lab, a decontamination room, a conference room, anything.” Toni counted as she got up from her chair and took a few steps around the common room. “If you guys have any suggestions, I’m open to hearing them. This is the first test for this particular type of aircraft.”

“It is?!” Sam was surprised to hear that.

“They must trust your work a lot for them to send us in it.” Bucky noted.

“You’re one to talk? You have my work constantly attached to your body.” Toni smiled fondly at him.

“She has a point Bucky.” Steve agreed which had Toni turn to look at him, her smile remaining but with a few tense edges.

“They’re also risking their lead engineer. If they didn’t trust my work, they wouldn’t have risked me.”

“You sound just like Maria.” Steve chuckled.

And just like that, all the good vibes emanating from Toni were crushed and tension filled her features as she straightened up and her voice got forcefully steadier. “Well I wouldn’t know now, would I?” Toni shook her head and turned to the whole group with a forced smile. “I’m sorry guys. You enjoy the dessert. I’ll be going.”

Natasha was the first to react. “Don’t you want a slice?”

Toni began moving towards where the stairs to the lower level were. “I’m not a big fan.”

“Hey Toni!” Bucky stood up and ran up to her before going to catch her arm when the woman flinched away with a deep frown over her face. “Hey!”

“I’m… I have some work to do. I’m late.” Toni went down the stairs leaving the whole group reeling.

“What just happened?” Sam asked.

Clint sighed. “Sensitive subject.”

Steve looked incredibly pained. “I didn’t mean to…”

“For once, we know!” Bucky beat him to the punch as he plopped back down on his chair. “Are we just gonna let her leave?”

“Let her have her space for now.” Natasha said.

 

Toni went into the lab and sat down on one of the stools before sighing and looking at her hands to find them trembling. Steve just had to mention her parents, he had to. She hated having to make such a hasty retreat, but if she didn’t she’s not sure what she would have said…

Her parents were a sore subject, their neglect and complete indifference sitting heavily on her chest; they cared more for their work than the child they gave birth to. Jarvis was the one to actually raise her; it was thanks to him that Toni managed to experience the caring of a loving parent. Jarvis was her real father even though not by blood, but it never mattered. After their death, it wasn’t her parents’ that broke her, it was Jarvis’.

Peggy Carter was a close friend of her mother’s, she took it upon herself to honor the memory of her late friend by being the guardian of her child; the agent herself didn’t know the kind of damage her friend did to her own daughter, so she set out to right her wrongs. Peggy was her real mother even though not by blood, but it never mattered. Her death broke her even more.

If she had been compared to Peggy, it wouldn’t have been a problem, but she had been compared to Maria… Maria of all people, the only thing she did know about her is that she’s supposed to be her mother. That’s all. But Rogers didn’t know that, how would he anyway?

A sudden knock on the lab’s door made Toni look up and her eyes widen as they met with Steve’s who was by the door, standing awkwardly with a shy smile and a plate in hand with a slice of cheesecake. “I know you said you’re not a big fan, but… I just though you might want to taste it.”

“Uh… Thank you.” Toni was at a loss of words, gaping at Steve’s gesture. She recognized it for what it is, an olive branch extended to retain the peace which had settled in the common room.

Steve nodded and made to leave, but stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. “Are you okay?”

Toni plastered a fake grin before answering. “Perfectly fine.”

The supersoldier considered her for a moment, before leaving.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

 

 

“We’ll split into three teams. Widow and Hawkeye, I need you in the control room; Falcon and Winter Soldier, you guys will find me the corrupted stash of weapons while Stark you’re with me!” Toni’s eyes widened at that. “We will infiltrate the compound and get to the server room. Do not get spotted.” Steve instructed.

“Why are we in the same team?” Toni asked.

“I’m not sending you alone. Will that be a problem, Agent Stark?”

“I’ll make do. It shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to get everything. So as long as you provide me enough time, I’ll get everything we need.” Toni announced. “Just don’t get in the way. Trust me to get the job done.”

Steve looked at her before nodding. “I want constant reports. Am I clear?” When everyone nodded, Steve put on his helmet and opened the ramp. “Toni you’re sure, the Bus can stay in the air without anyone piloting it?”

“Well… This is the first test.” Toni shrugged before grinning. “If my calculations are right, they always are, then there shouldn’t be a problem.”

Bucky put his hand on Steve’s shoulder as he took the lead and nodded at her. “Then we’re all ready to set out.”

“Is this the part where we jump?!” Toni asked.

Everyone burst out laughing just as Clint ran up to her, tackled her and pushed the two of them out of the jet and into the air which prompted a scream out of Toni’s mouth, something she’ll deny forever. The archer let her go and dived down towards the compound same as the others started jumping out of the jet and going after them.

They all landed on the compound’s rooftop graciously and waited for Toni to jam all signals and hack into the surveillance cameras feed. When she gave them the all clear, they all went their separate ways.

Sam and Bucky made a beeline towards the emergency stairs and went down to the basement where all of the weapons were stored. The floor being heavily guarded was barely a problem when both the Winter Soldier and the Falcon put on their oxygen masks and unleashed their sleeping gas all over the place; the two of them worked quickly to go over all of the firearms available with Barnes running through the sections and Wilson flying over them using his safety glasses to scan them. When the visor flashed red in the top left section of the floor, the two of them rushed there and opened the crate to find all of the weapons and tactical gear which were set to be sold to the military in the next two days.

“Cap! Come in.”

“Falcon, you found them?” The Captain answered through the com line.

“Yes! Will one single crate be enough?” Bucky asked.

“It will! Now go back to the Bus. Widow, Hawkeye, status report!” When no answer came, Steve repeated. “Natasha! Clint! Status report.”

“That’s the last one.” Natasha announced.

“Control room is under control. Pun intended, by the way.” Clint added after a beat.

“That is so lame, birdbrain!” Toni groaned out.

“I’d love to be on the other side of that groan, doll!” Bucky’s smugness was clearly audible.

“Oh darling! I’d love to see you try.” Toni’s voice dropped down and turned sultry.

“Are you guys really flirting in the middle of a stealth mission?” Sam chuckled as he and Bucky made their way out of the compound and into the Bus with the crate in tow.

“Chatter!” Steve growled out. “Focus, guys!”

“Oh loosen up, Cap! Everything’s gonna be fine.” Toni smirked at him just as they entered the server room after taking out all the guards stationed outside of it.

“The mischief in your voice really isn’t helping your case.” Natasha commented.

Toni chuckled and sat down on the floor in order to start the hacking process. “Don’t worry, your Captain’s keeping me in check.” Steve startled when he heard his nickname being mentioned. “I’m pretty sure he had us team up in order to keep an eye on me.”

“Or he’s testing you.” Sam suggested.

“Huh… Didn’t think of that.” Toni threw a glance in Steve’s direction; the soldier raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her before going back to guarding the room. “Nah he’s monitoring me.”

“Are you guys done?” Steve asked.

“Well if that really was the case then trust me, everything you may do will get past him.” Clint’s voice held an amused tone.

“And why’s that?” Toni asked absent-mindedly as she was completely focused at the lines of codes and numbers filing in front of her.

“He knows jack-shit about hacking and all of that fancy stuff you do.” Bucky helpfully informed her.

“That so?” Toni’s voice betrayed her interest while she started typing at an incredible speed. “I’m in the mainframe!”

“How much time do you still need, Toni?” Natasha inquired.

“Why?!” Steve was on high alert immediately. “What’s happening on your end Nat?”

“We got the cameras working again, I’m seeing movement in your direction. A lot of movement.” Clint informed them. “I think we’ve been spotted.”

“How many?”

“At least a hundred! They’re sending people here, too.”

“Alright! Take them out. We’ll handle ourselves.” Steve looked back in Toni’s direction. “I’ll fend them off. You just focus on getting all the information we need.”

“Are you sure?” Toni asked.

“We can’t afford to waste any more time.” Steve insisted. “Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried.” Toni repeated mockingly. “You’ve got it covered. I need like 2 minutes. Hold on for 2 minutes and then the program can do the work on its own.”

“It’s only a hundred, Toni. Stop panicking.” Toni turned towards him with a weird expression. “What?” When he got no answer, Steve sighed. “Focus!” The engineer snapped out of her trance and went back to her work just as security agents came charging into the floor with their guns and batons. “Take cover!” Steve ordered just as he began attacking the agents quickly, trying to thin out their numbers and prevent them from reaching the genius.

Toni was completely concentrated on her typing as she couldn’t afford to watch Steve fighting lest she loses focus. She had to finish this job as quickly as possible in order to help Steve. “I still need thirty seconds.”

“I’ve got it handled!” Steve shouted back.

“I have no doubt!” She answered while typing the last few lines. “DONE!”

Toni rushed to get up and join the fight when she heard. “I’d suggest you stay where you are. Both of you.”

Both Steve and Toni froze on the spot when they realized there were about three agents with their guns pointed at Toni’s head. “You guys are good.” One of the agents said.

“Well if that ain’t Antonia Stark.” Hammer made his way through the crowd of agents towards the center where Steve and Toni were surrounded and held at gun point. “It’s been ages since I’ve last seen you. Didn’t think you were still alive.”

“I’ve always worked better from the shadows.”

“Except… You’re very much exposed now.”

“Guys! We’re coming down.” Natasha assured them.

“You’re the only one getting exposed here, Hammer.”

“Oh yeah! I know all about your true purpose for coming here.” Hammer looked at the phone in her hand decrypting everything of value. “You mean to tell me you’ve been doing all of your work on that phone? I’m impressed, you’ve improved your skills.”

“Well I’ve always been better than you.”

“Programming never was my forte.”

“Oh who are you kidding? Nothing is your forte! Those defective weapons? Those were supposed to work, weren’t they? They ended up failing miserably.”

“Are you still mad about those stolen designs?”

Toni grinned evilly at him. “You have no idea, asshole. My only solace is that you had my designs, my calculations, everything, but you still failed at executing them.” Hammer's men approached her slowly which raised Toni’s shackles as she traded looks with the Captain before nodding slightly at him when the phone buzzed imperceptibly in her hand signaling that all the information was collected.

“We’re ready when you are!” Clint exclaimed in their ears.

Toni smirked at Hammer and muttered. “You’re really gonna regret showing your face, Justin.” With that, Toni pushed the button for the system to do a complete reboot which prompted complete and utter blackout for about 5 seconds before all the light turned back on.

Toni, Steve, Natasha and Clint were getting rid of the few final agents still standing when Toni noticed Hammer taking out his gun, Steve called out for her, getting her attention long enough for him to throw her a gun. Her reflexes were quick enough for her to catch it and point it at Hammer’s head. “One wrong move and I’ll blow your brains out.”

“Shouldn’t you keep me alive for questioning?”

“Would anyone blame me?!” Toni asked rhetorically.

“You won’t do it.”

“Try me.”

When Hammer’s hand twitched, Toni threw the gun straight towards his head before leaping at him, throwing him down on the floor and getting him in a headlock. “Well shit.” Hammer muttered before groaning in pain as Toni tightened her hold cutting off a bit of his air.

“We have permission to take him into custody. Law enforcement will handle the rest.” Bucky informed them.

“Guess what!” Toni announced cheerfully. “You’ll be coming with us.”

Clint approached them and produced handcuffs out of his pocket. “Damn girl.” He whistled as he looked approvingly at her.

“Mission successful, team.” Steve congratulated them before approaching Toni. “You did a great job back there.”

“Are you actually complimenting me?” Toni snarked. “You’re actually capable of that?”

Steve smiled at that. “Obviously.”

“We work well together, Cap… Surprisingly.” Toni said as they all began to make their way towards the rooftop where Sam and Bucky were waiting for them in a Quinjet.

When everything settled, and Hammer was placed in one of the prison cells inside the Bus, the whole team gathered in the common room in order to celebrate. “You should have seen her, she pulled a Natasha on him!” Clint barked out a laugh as he recounted the tale to Bucky and Sam.

“The brains and the brawns.” Bucky commented. “Are you even real?”

“Stop complimenting her! Her ego’s already big enough.” Natasha scolded them.

“Tasha you sucked all the fun out of this! Really!” Toni pouted at her before drinking her coffee in one go.

“Got nothing to say, Cap?” Sam smirked knowingly at Steve who was standing there completely silent.

“Um… I-,” Steve chanced a look in Toni’s direction before squaring up his shoulders and taking a deep breath. “I know you’ve been receiving offers left and right ever since your first mission. For you to have been sent on a mission with us, I think it’s safe to assume you either haven’t accepted or you still haven’t given them a definitive answer.” Steve approached her with a determined look on his face. “SWORD would really love to have you in its ranks.”

To say that Toni was startled would be an understatement. She was beyond taken aback as the last thing she expected was for Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, to offer her a place in their team. “Is this a joke?” Toni asked absentmindedly before she could stop herself, the uncertainty and doubts clear in her voice.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will Toni's answer be?!
> 
> I hope you're enjoying this as much as I'm enjoying writing it!
> 
> Question time:  
> Do you think I should enter a Soulbond element to the story or not?!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wasn't planning on posting anything today, but then again today is Tony Stark's Birthday! And I'll celebrate it accordingly.
> 
> The next update though will have to wait.

 

 

“W-What?!” Bucky was taken aback by Toni’s answer as she hurried in front of her. “Why would we joke about this?! The team’s been discussing this for quite some time, we’re all in favor of you becoming one of us.”

“One of you…” Toni had a haunted look on her face.

“Toni?” Clint took a few careful steps in her direction.

“Hey! Back off! Guys, back off.” Natasha immediately leaped in front of them and pushed them back before a few steps back herself. “Toni look at me.” Toni did while breathing a bit raggedly. “Are you okay?”

Toni shook her head before clenching her teeth and answering, “I… I can’t… I can’t.” She took a deep breath in order to compose herself and looked back at Steve. “I really appreciate the offer, Cap. I-I would have loved to say yes, but…” When Bucky was about to argue with her, she lifted a hand, “There’s really nothing you can do about it. All the other teams got the same answer. I’m just… Not a team player.”

“I call bullshit!” Sam interjected. “You worked perfectly well with us and with Rumlow’s team.”

Toni clenched her fists as she frowned at him. “I didn’t even tell Rumlow what my skills were. I wasn’t completely forthcoming with him, and this could have put his team in danger. The only reason this thing worked between us is because I was practically alone for the most part.”

“Toni what is this really about?” Bucky asked slowly and calmly as though not to spook her except it had the opposite effect when she bristled and glared at him.

“Would you stop doing that?! Seriously!” Toni hissed at him before biting down any other comment on his questioning. “I’m rejecting your offer. This is all you need to know!” Toni was about to storm out when Steve caught her hand and made her turn back and look at him with a tired expression. “What do you want?”

“If you’d have told me that a few days ago, I would have believed it… You not being a team player. But I saw you… Out there. You trusted me, someone you weren’t completely on good terms with, to have your back as you did your job. You trusted all three of us,” He gestured at him, Natasha and Clint before continuing, “to act as soon as you gave the signal. You answered when I called in the middle of Hammer taking out his own gun because you knew I wouldn’t distract you if it weren’t to help your case. So stop selling yourself short, it’s unbecoming. Ever since I met you, all you ever did was boast about your heroics, expertise and efficiency; the second someone notices and acknowledges it, you turn tail and run?” Toni tensed at that. “You don’t want to be part of this team that’s completely fine. We’ll respect your decision, but don’t you insult our judgement by stating you’re not fit to work in our team.”

“I didn’t mean t-…” Toni was interrupted.

“We know that. But you did. We know this team’s best interests and if you weren’t that, we wouldn’t have bothered.” Steve added and saw Toni’s vulnerable yet accepting expression shatter only to be replaced by something darker.

“Interest…” Toni nodded slowly as if coming to a realization, mentally berating herself for actually believing this was anything other than ulterior motives. “Can you let go of me now?” Steve frowned deeply while a heavy silence settled between all of his team members, but he obliged and let go of her hand just to watch her rubbing it with her other one and muttering, “This was never going to work.”

“What do you mean?”

“Fury is setting us up… As much as he likes to deny it, he wants me to join you guys.” Toni admitted. “I kept telling him no, now he’s gone and forced my hand with a carrot on a stick in the form of setting up Hammer.”

“Doesn’t he know you don’t want to be part of a team?” Sam asked carefully.

Toni considered him for a second before sighing, “He knows.”

“That seems unfair.” Bucky claimed.

“Fury does what Fury wants.” Toni lamented.

“Fury usually doesn’t send the new recruits with his most elite team.” Clint offered that bit of information to Toni who took it in and nodded. “He’s already favoring you, Toni.”

“I never wanted to be favored. All I wanted was to be a lone agent.”

“So why did you accept any of those team missions?” Steve inquired.

“Because I thought I’d be able to prove myself capable of executing such missions alone.” Toni announced. “I thought offering one or two missions to the cause wouldn’t hurt.”

“Toni…” Bucky said slowly. “Isn’t there any chance you’d reconsider?”

She smiled apologetically. “I can’t.” Her voice seemed a bit tight. “I really can’t, Brooklyn. What do people say after a breakup? ‘It’s not you it’s me’ well yeah that applies.” She joked.

“If it’s because of how we first met then I wholeheartedly apologize. I’ve been meaning to do that ever since we embarked on this mission.” Steve announced. “I’m really sorry! I recognize that I’ve been completely unfair to you, and I give you my word that this will never happen again.”

“You think I’m still hung up about that? It’s okay. This has absolutely nothing to do with that, I promise.” Toni took a deep breath as she looked in the direction where her room’s supposed to be. “If you’ll excuse me…” With that, she disappeared from their little gathering and went into the sanctity of her room.

“I don’t get her!” Bucky exclaimed frustratingly as he punched the table lightly. “She’s enjoyed herself with us! I’m pretty sure, she did.”

“Everyone here knows she did… But there’s more to it than meets the eye.” Sam claimed as he looked in Natasha’s direction.

Black Widow appeared deep in thought as though she was considering everything that has transpired, Clint nudged her arm while asking, “What are you thinking about?”

“It’s nothing…” She shook her head and sat back down, “We need to respect her decision. Maybe put in a few words in her favor?” She looked expectantly at Steve who nodded almost instantly.

“I’ll talk to Fury see if I can convince him to let her be a solo agent.” He announced before swiping a hand over his face.

 

 

They spent half an hour in debrief with Fury where Steve was giving his mission report while Toni presented all of the logs she gathered from her hacking, and Bucky showed them the crate of weapons. In those thirty minutes, Toni spent them sitting down on the far end of the table not really looking at any of them or sassing away every two seconds.

It was incredibly disconcerting for Steve who was used to Toni filling the room with her banter, sass and quipping.

When they ended their report, the room fell silent waiting for Fury’s word. It didn’t take long for him to break the ice, “And what happened?”

Steve frowned. “What do you mean what happened?”

“Everything you’ve said should’ve brought you guys closer. Why is Stark on the other side of the room?”

“I value my privacy, Director.”

“I thought you’re known for invading people’s privacies.”

Toni glared at him. “It is none of your business.”

Coulson considered her for a moment. “What’s your side of the story?”

“Exactly as the Captain said. Hammer’s behind bars. I got what I wanted.”

“Did you?!” Coulson asked intently, knowing exactly what he was implying.

Toni got up from her chair and went straight for the door. “I suppose the meeting’s finished.” With that, she opened the door and made her way out leaving the rest staring dumbly at where she stood last.

“Captain, what happened during the mission?” Hill asked.

“Well it exceeded my expectations, you can say. I honestly didn’t think Agent Stark would be able to work with us seamlessly,” Steve looked at Fury. “She did. She got the job done with no collateral damage.”

“You got caught.” Fury said to him. “I’d say that was collateral damage. We had to change the mission directive in order to accommodate this huge game changer.”

“You can handle it.” Steve expressed.

“I can! What I can’t handle is why there’s no one here coming to tell me that Stark joined your team?”

“Because she didn’t.” Bucky answered. “We asked. She refused.”

“She did?” Coulson looked pensive before throwing a pointed look in Fury’s direction. “I told you this wasn’t going to work, Director.”

“I won’t send her alone!”

“I don’t see why that’s a problem.” Steve inquired, “She is ready for solo work. Better than anyone else.” Steve claimed as thought he couldn’t quite comprehend why they were arguing.

“We know that, Captain.” Hill said.

“So what’s the hold up?” Sam prompted.

“Assessing her is one reason.” Coulson stated.

“Seeing if she’ll change her mind is the other.”

“Why would you want her to change her mind?”

“Why wouldn’t we, Captain?” Fury sighed. “Having one of our very best with our very best team, it’s making something excellent into something perfect.”

“So what now?” Bucky asked.

“She becomes a solo agent.” Coulson announced.

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

 

 

Toni made her way back into the lab to find Bruce working on some specimen using the microscope; the scientist looked up from his work and smiled at the newcomer, “You’re back! How was your mission?”

“Fine.” Toni responded despondently.

“What happened?”

She shook her head before shrugging her leather jacket and sitting down on the couch she insisted be placed in her workshop; DUM-E approached her and nudged her arm with its own making a few whining sounds which prompted a small chuckle from Toni who sighed tiredly at the robot and petted it…

She must have fallen asleep like that because the next time she woke up, the lab’s lights were turned off except for one or two of the lighter ones and Bruce was nowhere to be seen; DUM-E chirped at her and immediately hurried to the kitchenette where he began making her one of his deadly smoothies. The engineer chuckled lightly as she stood up and headed for her workbench where she turned her desktops on and began working on the side project. Hours went by and the project came along pretty quickly, leaving Toni to add in a few minor details before she could officially launch it. She was only interrupted from her work daze when Bruce came into the lab with his tea in hand and a small easy smile over his face. “So word is getting out.”

“Never dubbed you as a gossiper.”

“I’m not.” He chuckled at her. “I just happened to hear some of the agents talking while getting my morning tea.”

“You seem to want to share them. Go ahead.”

“You rejected SWORD?” He looked at her amusedly.

“What about it?”

“This has been unheard of ever since it was created.”

“They’re literally a total of 5 agents. Three of which already knew each other and the other two had their own team.”

“Still. It was unheard of until yesterday. Congratulations are in order.”

“They are?”

“You’re now officially a solo agent.”

“Why does everyone know except me?”

“Because you’ve apparently spent all your time here working.”

“And it was incredibly productive! You’ll see in a few hours it will blow your fucking mind.”

 

It took about thirty minutes before Toni summoned Bruce again, “Remember when I said it would take hours? I take it back. Introduce yourself.”

Bruce looked at her weirdly as if not quite comprehending what she was saying, “What do you mean intr-”

“Good morning, Dr. Banner!” The doctor in question jumped in surprise as he tried to search for the source of the voice. “I am Just A Rather Very Interesting System or as Miss prefers to call me JARVIS… Miss had me installed in the workshop’s interface in order to help you with your projects. I look forward to working with you…”

Bruce looked at Toni, amazement practically written over his face. “You created an AI program?!”

“What were you saying earlier? Something about an event being unheard of until yesterday?!” Toni smirked at him almost maniacally.

“Yeah this..." Bruce giggled, "This takes the cake. This is really awesome Toni! I had no idea you were working on such a huge scientific feat.”

“Didn't want to tell anyone about it until I had it done.” She sighed contentedly, “You know what this means, Bruce? This is a game changer… This is revolutionary.”

“You’re gonna tell SHIELD about it?”

Toni’s head whipped in Bruce’s direction so fast, “No! I won’t. JARVIS is mine… I won’t-” Her voice broke a bit. “I won’t share him. I might create something else for SHIELD, but not that. Not this one.”

“They might discover it, though.”

“Even if they do, they can’t get their hands on it. We made sure of that didn’t we, J?”

“Absolutely, Miss.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you think I should enter a Soulbond element to the story or not?!


	8. Chapter 8

 

 

Weeks went by, and both Toni and SWORD’s missions continued separately; Weeks in which not anyone has seen or heard from Toni due to her being sent on an undercover mission somewhere in Barranquilla, Colombia. Clint and Natasha were the first to know in SWORD due to their contact with Coulson; they relayed the information to the other military boys.

“Isn’t it still too early to send her alone for these kinds of missions?” Steve asked.

“The undercover ones?” Clint asked. “Those are usually the most difficult, but also the best at helping SHIELD assess our skills, and what type of missions we’re best suited for.”

“SHIELD is really weird.” Sam claimed.

“Is she safe?” Bucky asked.

“They have a backup team on standby if anything were to go wrong.” Natasha assured them.

“I got the impression that she doesn’t like having backup.” Steve said matter-of-factly which had both Clint and Bucky chuckling while Natasha was smirking and Sam was huffing.

“You’ve got that right.” Bucky continued laughing.

When everyone calmed down, Steve went on to talk about training regimen and ended up asking the wonder agents about the Hammer Investigation, “It’s slow going!” Clint lamented. “He’s such an insufferable prick.”

“I can believe that.” Bucky nodded at that.

“What’s his deal with Toni, though?” Steve asked. “Do we know? She said something about stolen designs.”

Natasha shrugged. “She never told us anything about her past… Coulson might know though.” She smiled knowingly at the Captain. “Why are you so interested any way?”

Steve seemed taken aback. “What?”

“Is the bad blood between you two a thing of the past now?”

“There was no bad blood to begin with.” They all looked at Steve like he was dumb to suggest that. “Alright, okay! You guys win. There was bad blood and we cleared it out… I think.”

“You think…?” Bucky looked at him amusedly.

“I hope.” Steve muttered before huffing at them. “What’s wrong with you?! I act all wrong with her and you team up against me! I act all right with her and you team up against me! Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.”

“You went all 180 degrees on us! We reserve the right to ask questions.” Sam insisted.

A long-suffering sigh later, Steve leveled them with a serious look which had them all squaring up their shoulders. “I know you guys want us to respect Toni’s decision, but I just can’t help but think that she belongs.” Their looks turned soft as Bucky nodded fervently at him. “You agree, don’t you? She belongs, doesn’t she?”

“You bet your ass she does.” Bucky exclaimed as he stood up and began pacing around the room. “How are we gonna convince her to join us?”

“We’re not going to.” Steve replied quickly. “She may not want to be one of us… But we do.”

“Let me get this straight.” Sam held his hand up in the universal sign of ‘wait’ as he continued, “She’s not one of us, but you want us to be one of hers?”

“Are we changing leaders, Cap?” Clint inquired playfully.

“Let’s table this discussion about leadership for later, shall we?” Natasha smirked. “We have our mission objective, people.”

“Operation Stark is underway!” Bucky whooped which prompted a few laughs between them.

 

 

“Agent Coulson.” Steve called the agent’s name as he saw him walk ahead of him in the hallway.

The man in question looked behind him. “Oh Captain Rogers, it’s you.” He stopped in his tracks and turned to face him. “How can I help you?”

“Can I talk to you in your office?” Steve was aware of the crowded area and was uncomfortable talking where anyone could hear him. “This is a private matter.”

“Of course! Follow me.” The two of them walked to Coulson’s. “Am I right to assume that this is about Toni?” Phil smiled at him with a clever glint in his eyes.

“What gave it away?” Steve said sheepishly.

“Why else would you come talk to me?!” Coulson chuckled at him. “In the two years you’ve been with us, you never sought me out. You have no missions scheduled as of yet, and even if you did; you never came in here to seek out advice. You never came in here to seek out potential recruits. You never came in here to seek out training exercises suggestions. You never came in here, point.”

“You got me, Agent Coulson!” Steve lifted his hands in the air and smiled shyly at him. “Out of everyone in SHIELD you know her the most.”

“That’s pretty debatable. She has other acquaintances.”

“Maybe, but none like you.”

“You can’t know that. You don’t know all of them.”

“You’re right.” Steve acknowledged his point, thinking it through. “I don’t. This is why I’m here, though.”

Coulson sat down in his chair and leaned back. “Alright, I’m listening. What do you want to know?”

“Is Toni checking in?”

“She’s Toni now? Not Stark?” He was smiling knowingly at him.

“You may or may not have been right about her.” This prompted a laugh out of Coulson. “Hill was definitely right. She grows on you.”

“You’re telling me?!” Coulson smiled softly at him. “Yes. She’s checking in, every now and then. It’s rare, though, she’s being very careful not to blow her cover.”

“When will she back?”

“We’ve given her free reign over how much time she might need to complete this mission.”

“What’s the mission exactly?”

“Why are you so interested, Captain?”

“I’d just like to know.”

“Mission parameters are classified, Cap! You know that.”

“No harm in trying.” Steve shrugged before continuing, “The main reason why I came here is to ask you what happened between Toni and Hammer.”

“You mean the thing about the stolen designs?”

“Exactly. They mentioned that when they met while we were in the mission.”

“I see,” Coulson nodded. “Well, before Toni’s parents died, she was already designing weapons for Stark Industries. This is what Howard wanted from her, so she did. Her parents were always in the public eye, and spent most of their down times in galas when they weren’t working for SHIELD or SI, so naturally they took her with them. She attended galas with them and met other socialites’ kids.”

“Hammer was one of them.”

“He was, but he wasn’t the worst one. There was Tiberius Stone, Sunset Bain and Justin Hammer… The three of them became ‘friends’ with her, and they always met up in those events. They were five years her senior… And so Toni and Tiberius dated for awhile while their group went out a few times together. Everything was in order to get her guards down and let her trust them. And trust them she did… They used to share some ideas with her, failed projects of their families’ companies, and she used to fix them for them. She did the same thing; she shared her designs, her work. Next thing she knows their companies were coming out with those new groundbreaking projects, the ones she fixed, and with amazing concepts still in the development phase, the ones she made.” Coulson took a deep breath while shaking his head. “To say the least, Toni was destroyed. At the time, those companies made billions while Howard was so angry, everyone at SHIELD knew to stay the hell away from him. Maria told us what happened, it was a pretty strenuous week for everyone involved. Toni didn’t make a public appearance until two weeks later…”

“What happened to Stone and Bain?” Steve bit out with barely suppressed anger.

“They’re still in business!” Coulson announced. “Ever since that time, Toni became incredibly reserved. She doesn’t trust easily… Not anymore, she learned it the hard way.”

“How old was she?”

“14.”

Steve’s growl was practically murderous at this point as he clenched his fist. “Why haven’t you done anything?!”

“There was nothing we could do, Steve. She gave them everything willingly, with no prompting whatsoever. Everything was perfectly leg-” Suddenly Coulson went all quiet as he focused on his earpiece. “What! Her cover’s been blown! How?!” He stood up immediately and made his way towards the exit. “Excuse me, Captain, I’ll have to cut this short.”

“Oh no you’re not! I’m coming with!” Steve immediately followed after him as Coulson practically ran to the operation room where everything was going to shit.

“What the hell happened down there?!” Coulson asked as Fury and Hill looked back at him and Steve making their way in.

“You brought a freaking drama queen to our ranks, Phil! This is what happened.” Fury announced as he gave a long suffering sigh before throwing a glance in Steve’s direction. “You should thank your lucky stars she didn’t accept your invitation!”

“Who? Toni?!” Alarms went off in Steve’s head. “She’s the one whose cover got blown?” When Hill nodded, Steve went off. “How did it happen?”

“Well apparently, the backup on standby were made, ergo Toni was made.”

Steve stood there staring at Hill with a shocked look on his face, his mouth may or may not have been open for the whole time before he snapped out of that stunned daze. “The backup blew her cover?! What kind of a sick joke is this?!”

“We told her new backup’s coming, all she needs to do is lay low, stay put until they arrive. But no!! She has too much of an ego for her to wait for help,” Fury shouted at him.

“I’d appreciate you not screaming in my ear, Director.” Toni’s voice came out through the speakers which had Steve relax a tiny bit before he heard her grunt and struggle against who’s attacking her. “Might I remind you, they’re the ones who put me in this mess in the first place?!” Toni seethed at them. “I don’t need backup! I’ve got it covered.” Shouts and pained grunts could be heard from the background as well as sounds of explosions and gunshots; Toni’s heavy breathing and movements were also sounding from the loud speakers as all of the SHIELD agents assigned to her mission were trying to get a visual of her.

“It doesn’t sound like it!” Fury complained.

“Give me a second and you can see for yourself.” Toni quipped back while hitting a few of her attackers.

Suddenly, true to her words, several monitors lit up with a live broadcast of the compound in Barranquilla, showing Toni fighting five enemies all at once in hand-to-hand combat.

She was actually breaking through when she saw another hoard of men running her way; the genius reconsidered her next move, took down the last of the five and took cover in one of the dark rooms for five seconds tops before she emerged again with a new long range weapon, attached to her hand?

“What’s that?!” Steve asked with alarm in his voice.

“Hell if I know.” Fury expressed. “Coulson? What do you have for me?”

“I’m drawing a blank, sir.”

“This is the same thing flying SWORD’s Bus. Repulsors… A miniaturized one.” Toni’s smirk could practically be heard. “Yes I know I’m a genius.” Toni fired her repulsor again and knocked down the final agent.

Toni hurried to open the cell doors freeing all of the hostages as well as the SHIELD agents whom she instructed to help the captives out of the compound safely. She continued walking through the hallway and up the stairs, clearly going straight for the boss’s office and taking every single agent, that dared to get in her way, down.

Before she rounded the final corner which separated her from the boss’s office, Coulson alerted her. “Someone’s waiting for you with a gun ready to fire.”

“I told you I have it covered.” She said long before she appeared in front of the goon who had a gun trained to her head, alerting him to her presence. Though the man was helpless to do anything as Toni put her gloved hand in front of the gun’s muzzle just as the man chose to fire. Nothing happened to the enemy’s horror as Toni smirked at him, and went to take him down with a beautifully placed kick to the groin followed by a roundhouse kick to the head.

A random agent whispered to his fellow colleagues. “Am I the only one who thinks that’s hot?” Steve was probably the only one on this side of the room capable of picking this random comment out.

“Where’s your second backup exactly?” Toni asked playfully.

“Usually, the agents in the mission wait for the backup.” Hill explained.

“They might as well handle the clean up once they arrive cause I’ve got the boss right here in front of me and I think he’ll play nice for me.”

“I swear to God, Toni. Trouble follows you everywhere.” Some redheaded woman muttered.

“Pep! Missed you. I’ll be coming home real quick, honey!” Toni playfully claimed as she aimed her palm at the boss who was standing in the middle of his office with his arms raised.

“I don’t trust him. He’s too confident for someone who’s losing.” Steve said quietly, but Coulson picked it up.

“Rogers thinks it’s a trap.”

“Steve?” Toni frowned before picking up the rest of the statement. “A trap?” She said just as the boss smiled viciously at her and pushed the detonator he had concealed in his closed fist.

“Toni!!!!” Pepper and Coulson shouted at the same time as Hill and Fury barked out orders for the backup to hurry up.

Everyone watched the building explode and many monitors blacking out as Coulson tried repeatedly to call for Toni. “Agent Stark! Agent Stark, do you copy?!”

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _“Rogers thinks it’s a trap.”_
> 
>  
> 
> _“Steve?” Toni frowned before picking up the rest of the statement. “A trap?” She said just as the boss smiled viciously at her and pushed the detonator he had concealed in his closed fist._
> 
>  
> 
> _“Toni!!!!” Pepper and Coulson shouted at the same time as Hill and Fury barked out orders for the backup to hurry up._
> 
>  
> 
> _Everyone watched the building explode and many monitors blacking out as Coulson tried repeatedly to call for Toni. “Agent Stark! Agent Stark, do you copy?!”_

 

 

Steve was the only one moving and approaching the monitors as he tried to see if he can find any camera feed which is salvageable. “There must be something in the vicinity! A street cam, an ATM cam, anything! Come on, people!” He prompted just as he turned to see the other four agents in complete panic.

“Toni! Toni! Come on answer! Do you copy?!” Pepper urged her.

“C-Copy…” A pained voice came through the speakers and, in the blink of an eye, the gloom which had settled over the room lifted and everyone got back to doing their job with more vigor as Hill called for medics at the site.

“What happened?!” Coulson asked.

“Are you okay?” Pepper added.

“Building ‘sploded… I’ve got the boss next to me. H-He’s unconscious, still alive though.” She tried to take a breath, but only ended up coughing and moaning in pain. “Everything c-collapsed. ‘ve got rubble on top of us.”

“Injuries?!” Fury inquired.

“’t would be easier if you’d have asked what’s not injured.” Toni huffed which had Steve ground his teeth. “I-I think I’ve got a rebar sticking out of my stomach… M-Maybe a concussion. ‘s already getting harder and harder to breathe… ETA?”

“Hill?!”

“Three minutes for backup. Fire and rescue need five minutes.”

“Get them to hurry the fuck up!” Fury gave the order as he gestured for Coulson and Pepper to continue talking to her.

“Okay Toni! Okay! Stay calm, everything’s gonna be fine.” Pepper’s voice became all calm and soothing. “All you need to do is stop talking, conserve your oxygen and continue listening to me, okay?! But I need you to stay awake! Can you do that for me?!”

“A-Alright, yeah.”

“You check in every time I ask for your input. Understood?!”

“Y-yes.” Her labored breathing was grating on Steve’s nerves.

 

It took an hour for fire and rescue to get Toni out; she had passed out a whole 20 minutes before they got her out and handed her over to SHIELD medics who loaded her up in a Quinjet alone and flew at top speed back to the base. It was another couple of hours before Toni made it into HQ, spread over a gurney and rushed to the medical floor where the base’s top doctors were waiting for her arrival.

Everyone was waiting for one of the doctors to get out of the surgery room and inform them of Toni’s situation while Fury was in a different room scolding the agents in charge of being her backup. Pepper, Bruce and Coulson were pacing in the waiting room while the SWORD team were sitting down: Steve’s leg was jumping up and down nervously, Bucky was clenching and unclenching his metal hand rhythmically, Sam was keeping an eye on everyone in the room while the wonder agents were whispering to each other.

When Hill came into the room, everyone’s attention snapped at her. “Agent Stark completed the mission successfully. We’ve already sent several teams to the warehouses mentioned in her report which we have no idea when she had time to write it.” Hill’s frown disappeared as quickly as it made an appearance.

“Her official assessment?” Coulson asked.

“Personality overview. Agent Stark displays compulsive behavior, prone to self-destructive tendencies and textbook narcissism.”

“Is there anything positive in that assessment?” Pepper asked.

“She’s exceptionally reliable, quick on her feet and very resourceful. She has good situational awareness, and her intellect, well, that amplifies her game.”

“The verdict?” Coulson prompts her.

“She’s worth the trouble.” Fury announced as he made his way into the waiting room. “I think we all knew that already.”

Soon enough, the doctor in charge of Toni’s surgery assured them that the genius was fine, that the surgery was a success and that the worst of it has passed. According to him, she’ll wake up some time tomorrow which was why until then she would be under surveillance, and no one will be allowed to see her.

They all filed out of the waiting room and went their separate ways. Only Bucky caught up with Steve, “You seem a bit off, Steve. What happened?”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. You’ve barely said a word while we were waiting for news on Toni.”

“There wasn’t anything to talk about.”

“Well you could’ve told me what happened to her, but hey! No hard feelings…”

“Mission was classified, wasn’t my place to go telling people about it.”

“Why were you there when it happened?”

Steve turned towards him and snarled at him. “Are you really interrogating me, Bucky?”

“Finally, there are those baby blues I’ve been wanting to see ever since I started talking to you.” Bucky commented with a small smile. “Steve, I’ve known you since we were kids. Don’t you think I’d recognize when you’re off and when you’re not?!”

That seems to make Steve deflate. “I don’t want to talk about it, Bucky.”

Bucky hummed at him before cocking his head to the side. “How about we take it out of your system now? Let’s go spar.”

 

 

“How are you feeling, Toni?”

“Better.” She answered. “You were called in when it all went to shit?”

“It’s more like I barged in.”

“You barged in?” Toni said amusedly from where she was sitting on her hospital bed. “Why? How did you even know something was wrong?”

“I was with Agent Coulson.”

“You were? Well that was convenient.” Toni muttered before looking at him, “Why are you here, Steve?”

“What do you mean?”

“You realize we’re not exactly friends, right? We’re not there yet.”

“I like to believe that we are.”

“Why though?”

“Near death experiences tend to make me reconsider my life choices.”

“And the last one made you realize you want to be friends with me?”

“It made me realize that I want to get to know you better. If you’ll let me, that is.” Steve said tentatively.

Toni looked at him suspiciously. “What’s wrong with you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re being nice.”

“I’m always nice.”

“Not to me you’re not.”

“I already apologized for that.”

“You did, but I can’t understand that either.”

“What can’t you understand?”

“You hate me.”

“No I don’t.”

“Rogers, quit playing around! You’ve hated me the moment you set your eyes on me. Normally people take longer to reach the conclusion that I’m a despicable person, you broke the record.”

Steve looked affronted. “You’re… Toni you’re not! Who would-…” The frown on Steve’s face deepened as he realized that Toni must believe that about herself. “Y-You… Toni I’m so sorry. I really am! You’re totally right! I wasn’t fair to you from the beginning, and I may have given you the impression that I don’t like you!! But I was wrong, Toni, I was wrong.” Steve saw that Toni was still looking at him suspiciously, and drew in a shaky breath. “You reminded me a lot of Howard, Maria and Peggy… They were the first agents I’ve really interacted with in SHIELD. They were there for Project Rebirth and kept tabs on us, Bucky and me, when we went back to the military as the only super soldiers this nation could produce. You know the story. The three of them were so kind and caring to us, and seeing you… Reminded me constantly that we lost them. At the same time, you were nothing like them, and held that air of cockiness, arrogance and entitlement which rubbed me the wrong way.”

Somewhere in the middle of Steve’s speech, Toni had looked away. When the silence registered, she sighed tiredly and muttered. “They were to you, not to me.”

This confused Steve, “What are you talking about?”

“My parents were nice to you, not to me. I didn’t even interact with them much. We only interacted during galas, and that was for the pictures, and whenever Howard wanted designs from me. If it wasn’t for that and the few times where they happened to be in the house always discussing the two super soldiers they helped make, I wouldn’t even know what my parents sounded like… The only person I do know is Aunt Peggy.” Steve seemed taken aback as he sat there watching Toni’s features remain blank while her eyes seemed haunted. “They never told me they tolerate me much less love me.” This time she let out a derisive huff. “In their funeral, I didn’t cry. I did cry at my butler’s funeral, though, he was more of a father to me than Howard ever was.” Toni fiddled with the IV line hooked to her as she avoided meeting Steve’s eyes. “They were strangers, to me, Steve. So forgive me when I don’t take kindly to someone telling me I remind them of these two…”

A heavy silence settled between these two, where Toni refused to look Steve in the eye, and the soldier didn’t know how to respond to that. It was only when Toni felt someone touch her hand that she looked up and met Steve’s gaze to find determination in them. “You have every right to.” This seemed to break Toni’s forced indifference as she took a shaky breath feeling her eyes prickle with unshed tears. Steve squeezed Toni’s hand in his as he continued, “I always hated bullies, you know… Along with my promise to Bucky to join the military together, this was one of the driving forces behind my volunteering for Project Rebirth. It was the only way for me to be able to defend myself and others from the bullies that filled the world because I wasn’t always like that, there was a time when I was only a scrawny kid who was always two steps away from dying from a cold. Almost a decade later, I became one of the very people I hated the most.” Toni was about to protest only Steve squeezed her hand again, “No let me continue. It’s true, I became a bully to you, and you didn’t deserve that, no matter my reasons, you didn’t deserve that, and you have no idea whatsoever how sorry I am for hurting you like that.” Steve’s eyes bore into Toni’s. “I realize now that the half-assed apology I gave you back on the Bus only seemed like the last card played in order to get you to join us, but it wasn’t. I honestly meant it, Toni.” He smiled at her apologetically. “I’ll prove to you that I’m sorry, and that I genuinely want to get to know you, if you’ll let me…” This time, it turned hopeful as he asked, “Will you let me, Toni?”

The genius looked down at where Steve was holding her hand then up at the hopeful look he was giving her coupled with the puppy eyes, and Toni was entirely powerless in front of such a display, so she nodded and watched Steve’s smile grow larger.

 

 

 

“Cap! Toni’s in the cafeteria having coffee.”

“She is?! Why?” Steve hurriedly got up from his seat and began making his way towards the cafeteria.

“Agent Potts told me she’s been banned from entering the lab for a day.” Bucky relayed what he had found out a few minutes earlier before he settled in the cafeteria.

“And why’s that?”

Natasha answered this time, just as she exited the lab in question after interrogating Bruce. “Well apparently, Doctor Banner was sick of seeing her, so he kicked her out.”

Steve looked pained for a moment. “Can he do that?”

Clint actually laughed at that. “It’s as much his lab as it is Toni’s.”

“Which is why she’s been bitching about being kicked out to almost everyone in a 15 ft radius of her.” Sam continued.

“Approaching cafeteria, now.” Steve announced.

“No one’s dared to sit with her.”

“It might have something to do with the assassin with the metal arm sending them murderous looks whenever they so much as get close to her.” Natasha deadpanned.

“Blasphemy! I’m invisible.” Bucky was revolted.

“You’re very much visible to everyone, but Toni!” Natasha claimed. “I don’t know if she’s deliberately choosing to ignore you and your shenanigans, or she really has no clue as to what’s happening around her.”

Bucky gasped. “The great Natasha Romanoff doesn’t know something?! I think we have to report that to Fury, Black Widow’s compromised.”

“What do we have here, Barnes?” Bucky startled at the sound of Pepper talking behind him.

“Agent Potts!”

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Operation Team Stark is underwayyy!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _“Approaching cafeteria, now.” Steve announced._
> 
> _“No one’s dared to sit with her.”_
> 
> _“It might have something to do with the assassin with the metal arm sending them murderous looks whenever they so much as get close to her.” Natasha deadpanned._
> 
> _“Blasphemy! I’m invisible.” Bucky was revolted._
> 
> _“You’re very much visible to everyone, but Toni!” Natasha claimed. “I don’t know if she’s deliberately choosing to ignore you and your shenanigans, or she really has no clue as to what’s happening around her.”_
> 
> _Bucky gasped. “The great Natasha Romanoff doesn’t know something?! I think we have to report that to Fury, Black Widow’s compromised.”_
> 
> _“What do we have here, Barnes?” Bucky startled at the sound of Pepper talking behind him._
> 
> _“Agent Potts!”_

 

 

“I thought I told you to call me Pepper.” Pepper raised an eyebrow at him. “You going to explain yourself?”

“Operation Stark is classified.” Bucky rambled before he could stop himself.

Pepper looked amused and unimpressed at the same time. “Operation Stark?”

“Barnes, abort mission! Abort mission.” Clint urged him.

“We can’t afford to be caught by Toni’s close friend!” Sam stated.

“News flash guys! I’ve already tapped into your com line!” Pepper informed them which was followed by a series of groans.

“Steve! Get out! We’ve been made.”

Natasha seethed at the archer. “Clint! Not helping.”

“I’m still waiting, Barnes.”

“Operation Stark is currently helping Steve redeem himself.” Bucky announced.

“There’s a whole operation for that?” Pepper chuckled, then she threw a glance in Toni’s direction. “Oh whatever! Count me in?!”

“In?” Bucky was confused as hell.

“You want Steve to end up in Toni’s good graces?” Pepper smiled at him knowingly, “Well, I’ll help you guys.”

“We have a huge plot twist right here, ladies and gentlemen.” Clint announced cheerfully.

“I swear to God Barton if you don’t shut up...” Natasha left the threat as it is.

Sam sighed. “Proceed with the mission, Cap.”

Pepper laughed at that. “You guys are taking this way too seriously.”

“She deserves our best efforts,” came Steve’s calm and sure reply which made Pepper turn serious instantly.

“You’re damn right, she does.”

“Glad we’re on the same page, Agent Potts.”

“We officially have an ally, guys! And a powerful one at that.” Bucky exclaimed.

“Target sighted.” Steve relayed.

“Oh shut the hell up, and go sit with her already.” Sam complained; this had the whole group laugh in Steve’s ear.

“I hate you, guys.” Steve said before switching off his com line.

He bought two cups of coffee and walked towards where Toni was sitting, working on something on her phone. Taking a deep breath, Steve placed the coffee in front of Toni and started, “Mind if I sit here?”

Toni’s attention, which was on the new cup of coffee in front of her, immediately latched onto his voice and her eyes met his. “W-Wha… Of course, yeah! Free country.”

Steve smiled at that, and sat down in front of her. “It’s the first time I’ve seen you here among normal people.”

“Agents.” She corrected just as she went back to working on her phone while sipping at her coffee.

“I don’t…” He was interrupted by her.

“Among normal agents, not normal people. We’re far from normal, Cap.” She smirked tentatively at him as she met his eye fleetingly before focusing back on her work.

Steve drank his coffee, hiding a small smile behind his cup. “Still doesn’t answer my question.”

Toni sneered. “I’ve been kicked out.”

“Beg your pardon?” Steve couldn’t hide his amusement which didn’t escape Toni as she levelled him with an unimpressed glare.

“Bruce kicked me out of my own lab.”

“He doesn’t seem like a guy who’d do such a revolting action without justification.” Steve reasoned.

“He says he’s sick of seeing me in the lab.” She scoffed. “As if I don’t know that he misses me when I’m away on a mission. He’s a lousy liar!”

“Liar?”

“He wants me to stop working!”

“Why would he want that?”

Toni managed to look remorseful. “I may or may not have been down in the lab for 3 days straight without taking a break.”

This made Steve choke and cough a few times before clearing his throat enough to be able to talk again, “Three days straight?! Why?!”

He actually sounded worried which made Toni tilt her head to the side. “Working…”

“Working…” Steve repeated after her with a blank voice.

Toni defended, “I have a lot of work which needs to be done! I’m the head of R&D.”

“For three days straight, non stop…” Steve’s blank expression was grating on Toni’s nerves.

She waited a few minutes before startling Steve with a painful nudge to his arm. “I thought you’d never blink! Did someone spike your coffee?”

Steve shook his head before sighing. “Somehow, I can’t fault Banner for his reasoning.” Toni looked betrayed at that. “I can’t! I really can’t! You should be resting.”

“I am resting!” Toni argued while her fingers continued typing on her phone.

“It doesn’t look like it.”

“This is how I rest.”

“That’s cute.”

Toni studied him for a bit before chuckling. “We should give that face a name.” She seemed to consider it for a moment before brightening up, “Captain America’s look of disappointment.”

“Toni…”

“It actually deepened!” Toni mock gasped before laughing and discarding her phone. “Relax, Cap… I’ll take it easy.”

Steve actually smiled at that before taking another sip. “Have you had breakfast?”

“No…”

“I’m gonna go get us something.” Steve nodded at himself before getting up and heading for the counter under Toni’s watchful eyes.

 

“I’d say the first step was successful.” Bucky stated to the group which had gathered on his table as they watched the duo talking.

“More than successful. They’re having a very civil conversation.” Sam noted.

Pepper congratulated them. “Good job, guys!”

“Is she running the Operation now?” Clint inquired followed immediately by, “Ow!” as Natasha hit him on the head.

 

 

 

“Steve, I have to talk to you!” Sam caught up with Steve as he was making his way towards his quarter.

“What’s wrong?”

“SHIELD and the Military are appointing a new liaison.”

“And…”

“I think I have the man for the job. I need you to pitch this to the higher ups.” Sam smirked knowingly at him.

“Hit me.”

 

“Don’t you find it weird that food keeps appearing on my worktable out of nowhere?” Toni asked as she eyed the sandwiches.

“Not at all.” Bruce answered while working on his computer. “It seems convenient though.”

Toni squinted. “Are you actually conspiring against me, Brucie bear?” Bruce lifted his hands innocently. “Is he, J?”

“I seem to have experienced a slight glitch in my code, and data of the previous conversation seems to have been wiped out of my systems.” JARVIS answered.

This made Toni gasp dejectedly. “Et tu, JARVIS?!”

“I would never, Miss! The implication of it even makes me cower in fear.”

“Oh you sassy son of a bitch!”

Bruce huffed a laugh. “I can see who he’s taking after.”

Toni shared with him a knowing glance before they both began chuckling. The good mood was interrupted when JARVIS spoke up, “Miss, I think you’ll want to see this.”

“What is there, J?” A hologram appeared in front of her and SHIELD’s conference room came into view.

Director Fury, Agent Hill and Agent Coulson were the first to enter the room, followed by two men, one of which was identified to be Major General Chester Philips followed by, “HOLY SHIT!” Toni stood up and bolted out of the lab, sprinting through SHIELD’s hallways to reach the conference room in question and barge in. “Rhodey!”

 Rhodes’ eyes widened as he saw Toni standing in front of him, catching her breath. “Toni?”

“Sourpatch, I didn’t think we’ll ever get to meet again.”

“You know each other?” Hill asked in the background to which Coulson answered, “MIT.”

“I thought you were dead.”

Toni gestured at herself with a cocky grin. “I’m pretty much alive and kicking.”

“You’ve been with SHIELD all this time?!”

“That’s the gist of it, yeah.”

“Are we interrupting?” The major general asked.

“Pretty much, yes!” Toni answered without so much as looking in his direction to which Rhodey grimaced and Coulson hissed.

“Um!” A new voice was heard inside the room, and all eyes focused on the source, Pepper, who was standing by the door apologetically. “Could I borrow Toni for a minute?”

“Please!” Fury sounded desperate.

“I don’t w-”

Toni was interrupted by Pepper’s insisting, “Now!”

“Excuse me, gentlemen!” Toni conceded before throwing a glance at Rhodey who nodded at her. She followed Pepper out before snapping at her. “What the hell was that?!”

“You were being disrespectful to the Major General, Toni! We don’t want to be on the Military’s bad side… We don’t want negotiations falling through! You don’t want that either, believe me.”

This had the right effect of calming Toni down and processing what Potts just told her. “Why wouldn’t I want that?” She shook her head. “Besides for the obvious reasons…”

“They’re negotiating making Rhodey the SHIELD-Military Liaison.” This stunned Toni for a couple of minutes before a wide smile formed on her face.

“Liaison?” Toni repeated. “Rhodey is going to be our liaison with the military.”                                                                                                                     

“Got it in one!”

Toni couldn’t hide how overjoyed she was. “How did this happen?”

“The old liaison’s contract ended, so SHIELD needed a new one. Lt. Co. Rhodes’s name was suggested.”

“By whom?!”

Pepper smiled at that as her voice turned soft. “Captain Rogers.”

Toni’s world stilled at that as she considered what Pepper just revealed and remembered talking about Rhodey while going with SWORD on a mission to infiltrate Hammer Industries. “He did?” Her voice seemed incredibly softer as Pepper took the two steps separating them and embracing her.

“Yeah he really did.” Pepper whispered in her ear. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that when word got out, but I’m glad he did Toni… I’m glad that you’ll finally get to reconnect with Rhodes.”

 

When Steve entered his quarter that day, he found a uniform laid out on his bed, and on top of it a note on which was written, ‘Thank you. T.’. Steve smiled to himself as he studied the navy blue uniform with a star in the middle.

 

 

 

“I need backup, Fury!” Toni grunted as she was thrown to the next side of the room by a fucking ninja. “There’s ninjas in here for fuck’s sake!”

“Your backup should be here in a second.” Coulson announced just as Toni saw an arrow imbed itself between several ninjas and explode, knocking them out and possibly killing them.

Another two ninjas went down with a single shot of sniper round. “You called for help, Milady?” Bucky’s voice resonated through her com line.

Toni gaped disbelievingly. “SWORD’s my backup?!”

Natasha suddenly appeared next to her, helping her handle the onslaught of ninjas.

“Stark! Eyes up.” Sam instructed her as she saw him zip towards them. “Hold on!” He continued before snatching her from where she was standing and flying her to a secure hiding place where Steve and Bruce, Bruce fucking Banner was waiting for her with a medical kit.

“Patch her up, Doc! We’ll handle it from here.” Steve commanded just as he held onto Sam, and the two of them flew into the compound to join the fight.

Toni protested. “I can still help.”

“We know!” Bucky assured her as another sniper shot was heard in the background.

“You just don’t have to!” Clint said proudly.

“You’ve already done your part and disabled the production of a deadly virus meant to be unleashed through the whole country’s water supply.” Natasha assured her.

Sam added. “It’s time we do our part!”

“We’ve got your back, Agent Stark!” Steve insisted as the SWORD team clashed with the ninjas.

“They’re right, Toni! Let me check your injuries.” Bruce told her as he gestured to the bleeding visible on her left side.

Toni seemed to want to protest further, but when Bruce squeezed her arm, she deflated and sat down next to him. Letting Bruce tend to her wounds and only occasionally letting out a grunt of pain as he disinfected and stitched the gash on her side. “What did they do to you?!”

“Stabbed me with a knife.” Toni shrugged. “How did they rope you into this?”

“Didn’t need much convincing. Said they needed a doctor, and I volunteered.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.” Bruce answered.

“Why is SWORD my backup?” Toni asked.

“Apparently, it was upon Cap’s request.”

“Huh…”

The SWORD team appeared in front of them with victorious smiles on their faces. “Are you ready to go?” Natasha asked.

“You took care of them?”

“Every single one of them is tied up and waiting for SHIELD to come and apprehend them.” Clint assured her.

“Thank you!” She muttered to which Bucky flicked her forehead and reprimanded.

“Don’t be stupid.”

She frowned at that. “Nevermind, Toni! Come on!” Steve approached her and held out his hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

Toni looked up at him and then at his hand, before lifting hers and taking it. Steve helped her stand up, and looked her over, “You look like a wreck.”

“Ever the gentleman!” She scowled at him. “The same cannot be said to you! The uniform suits you perfectly.”

“I’m glad you like it. I had the best designer SHIELD got make it for me.”

“Is that so?” Toni’s voice turned all suave.

“I guess we’ll be leaving then.” Bruce said as everyone began making their way out while Toni and Steve continued looking at each other fondly.

“Bruce told me you wanted to be my backup.”

“Is that so surprising to you?”

“I just don’t get it.”

“What’s there to get?”

“Why would you…”

“We’re allowed to take and request the missions we want to be sent on. This was a team decision.”

Toni nodded. “Alright okay.”

“Are you going to continue asking questions? Or can we move?” Steve grinned at her.

“After you.” Toni said.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _“Bruce told me you wanted to be my backup.”_
> 
> _“Is that so surprising to you?”_
> 
> _“I just don’t get it.”_
> 
> _“What’s there to get?”_
> 
> _“Why would you…”_
> 
> _“We’re allowed to take and request the missions we want to be sent on. This was a team decision.”_
> 
> _Toni nodded. “Alright okay.”_
> 
> _“Are you going to continue asking questions? Or can we move?” Steve grinned at her._
> 
> _“After you.” Toni said._

 

 

“So…”

“So?”

“Aren’t you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“What are you talking about, Rhodey?” Toni asked while walking with Rhodey on the Helicarrier’s deck.

“The thing with SWORD? Or more specifically with Rogers?”

“What’s there to say?”

“I don’t know you tell me! I’ve heard you’ve been teaming up more lately.”

“We’re not teaming up.” Toni denied. “They’re just being sent as my backup.”

“SWORD?” Rhodey’s voice held disbelief in it. “SHIELD’s top elite team? Reduced to being a backup for a solo agent?”

Toni sighed while throwing her hands in the air. “I don’t know! I can’t believe it either! I can’t fathom why Fury would accept this, and whenever I seem to discuss this particular point with Pepper, she’ll dismiss my rightful concerns and call me paranoid.”

“She is?” Rhodey seemed to consider her for a moment. “Well… If Pepper says there’s nothing to concern yourself about, I think we can trust her.”

“I do trust her! But Bruce’s in on this! Bruce who always refused to go on field missions, or join any team, accepted. He’s being sent there as medical support, it’s driving me insane.” Toni confessed.

“What’s driving you insane exactly?”

“How efficient their backup is… I got used to the incompetent fools who usually get sent with me. I got used to fighting my own way out of a tight spot, and barely surviving the aftermath. I got used to…”

“Being alone? And only having yourself to rely on?” Rhodey continued for her before silence settled between them. “You’re feeling safe, Toni. Is that really a bad thing?” Toni considered him as she fell silent next to him.

 

 

 

The only times where SWORD doesn’t get to be her backup is when they’re already in a mission of their own; Toni found herself coming back from another successful assignment in which her injuries were nonexistent and the result were quick and efficient only to find chaos welcoming her.

When she spotted Rumlow on the other side of the hallway, she called out for him. “Rumlow! Hey! Rumlow, what’s wrong?”

“Toni! Glad to see you back from your mission.” He greeted her before continuing, “SWORD got back a few hours ago.”

Toni frowned as panic began welling up inside her. “Shouldn’t there be elation instead of chaos then?!”

He shook his head at her while stating, “The team members are all in the IC. Their mission went terribly wrong and they got caught in a plane crash. Rogers got the worst of it as he tried to shiel-”

Toni didn’t stick around to hear the end of the sentence as she rushed towards the medical floor in order to see for herself. There she saw, Coulson sitting on one of the chairs with a worried look on his face, she made a beeline towards him. “What happened?!”

“Toni! You’re back.”

“I thought it weird not to have you there along with Fury and Hill debriefing me, I just didn’t think something bad happened.”

“SWORD is down.”

“Rumlow told me. What happened, Phil?”

“They got ambushed. They were on a plane disguised as normal civilians sent to locate a suicide bomber and incapacitate him before he could kill the passengers. It went so smoothly, no one even batted an eye until, the plane suddenly started diving down as the pilot was killed, the plane was shot at with a heavy machine gun and several missiles were sent at the plane’s engines making her drop dead in the sky. They were hopeless to do anything other than try to shield as much citizens as possible.”

“Casualties…”

“So far it’s 10 deaths, the others are in critical condition including our very own agents.”

“Do we know who did this?”

“We don’t. This may have been a terrorist attack.”

“It doesn’t make sense, though.”

“It’s the only theory we’ve got.” Coulson answered back.

“What did the doctors say?”

“They’re positive that Wilson, Barnes, Barton and Romanoff will pull through. Rogers, however…”

“What?!” Toni prompted him. “What did he say?”

“His situation is critical. He says he lost a lot of blood and suffered blunt trauma which overloaded even the supersoldier serum.” Coulson sighed. “He’s in a coma right now.”

“Steve?” There was disbelief and a shakiness to Toni’s voice. “Steve’s in a coma? I didn’t think that was possible.”

“Why? Because of the serum?” Coulson asked before sighing. “It was overwhelmed… There’s a lot for it to process. A lot of things to heal.”

“Will he make it?”

“He’s too stubborn for death.”

Toni actually laughed at that. “You’re absolutely right.” She sat down next to him, her arm pressed against his as she sighed. “When can we see them?”

“Not before a day or two.”

“This shouldn’t have happened.” Toni muttered to herself.

“It’ll be okay, Toni. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“They could have died…”

“But they didn’t.”

“We can’t continue relying on chance to keep favoring them.”

“What are you thinking of doing?” Coulson seemed interested.

“Something I should have thought of long before crisis hit.” She stood up, intent on walking towards the elevator and going to her lab when Coulson caught her hand.

“Toni! You’ve just come back from a mission, go rest.”

“I am going to rest, Coulson.” Toni assured him.

“But not now, right?” He asked back, “You’re going to the lab and starting your binge working again… I’m telling you, you don’t have to. No one’s rushing you.”

Toni shook her head, “They’ve always had my back. It’s time I had theirs.”

 

“JARVIS, how’s FRIDAY faring?” Toni asked while working on new suits.

“Exactly according to your calculations, Miss. She should be ready in the next few minutes.”

“And the protocols?”

“Perfectly in place.”

“Alright then! Run diagnostics on those new arrows and wings for Hawkeye and Falcon. Send the Widow Bites, and the super soldiers’ suits into manufacturing for me.”

“Very well. Captain Rogers seems to be waking up, Miss.”

“Let’s pay the lovely soldier a visit, shall we?”

Toni exited the workshop heading straight for Steve’s room when Coulson intercepted her. “Hill’s inside debriefing him.”

“I don’t really care, Coulson.”

“I know which is why I’m here!”

“You won’t stop me.”

“It’s only for ten more minutes.”

Toni sighed. “Get out of my way, Coulson.”

“Toni…”

“I want to see him.” Her voice took on a pleading note.

After their brief staring match, Coulson finally conceded and walked with her to Steve’s room. He knocked on its door, told Toni to wait around the corner, and opened it then poked his head through the opening. “Hill, can I talk to you for a second?”

“Sure! I’ll be back, Cap.” Hill addressed Rogers before following Coulson out and away from the door through which Toni slipped in.

Closing it slowly, she’s startled when she hears a confused, “Toni?” The genius turned around, met Steve’s tired eyes and relief washed over her, she was slowly getting closer to him when he continued, “What are you doing here?”

Dread and insecurity won over, and she made to leave with a mumbled “I’m sorry”, only she was already within reach and Steve caught her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

“I didn’t mean you shouldn’t be here.”

“It’s alright, I’ll go!” Toni started taking another step away, only Steve stopped her with a firm tug in his direction.

“Don’t, it’s fine.” He grimaced, hearing his own words and knowing they’ll come back to bite him.

She again tried to get his hand off of hers while leaning away, “I really don’t mean to impose.”

However, this time, Steve didn’t let her, his hold tightening slightly and his voice dropping in a whisper, “Stay.”

This immediately made her look up and meet his gaze, her eyes searching his for any sign and any give which will betray his words. Not finding any, Toni all but crumbled, she took the few steps separating her from his bedside and collapsed on the armchair next to him.

Steve watched the actions transpire in front of him and realized that with all of Toni’s movements, his hand remained settled over her pulse – which was erratic, by the way – catching the way her own hand’s tremoring in his. His heart clenched painfully at the sight before him, and he couldn’t stop himself from tugging her hand to catch her attention, squeezing it softly, swiping his thumb comfortingly over her pulse before his hand moved up lacing both of their fingers together. “I’m okay, Toni.”

Eyes transfixed over their fingers, Toni closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, tension bleeding out from her, leaving only wariness in its wake, “You gu-” Toni cleared her voice, “You guys had me worried.”

“I’m awake now…”

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve seen better days.” He replied jokingly.

The genius chuckled wetly at that, “You sure have, soldier boy.”

“You know just the words to make a man feel better about himself.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “I know right! A talent that’s often under appreciated.”

“And the team?”

“None as worse as you. They should wake up pretty soon.” Toni comforted him.

“I’m glad…” Steve smiled playfully at her, “You’re behind Coulson taking Hill away?”

“You caught me! Debrief can wait! This can’t.” She confessed. “I promise you this will never happen again.” Toni assured him.

“What?” Steve asked confusedly.

“This will never happen again! I made sure of it. You’ll always have aerial support.”

“What did you do?”

“I’ll explain it to you when you get out.”

“Alright… I’ll wait.” Steve said tiredly, before looking at Toni with a weird look on his face. “Toni how many did we l-” Steve’s voice sounded despondent.

Toni immediately reacted by squeezing his hand. “No! Don’t do that to yourself, Steve! Don’t… It’s not your fault.”

“Our mission was to stop a possible terrorist attack.”

“And you did!”

“Yet people died.”

“No one saw it coming… SHIELD and military radars didn’t detect the aircraft. I-It was practically invisible.” Toni insisted. “I should have been with you, I should have helped you guys, I could’ve detecte-…”

“It wasn’t your job, Toni. Besides, you were on a mission.”

“It doesn’t matter now, does it? It’s already too late for regret and guilt, right?” Toni waited for his answer, and got it in the form of Steve gulping and nodding slightly. The next thing he knew, Toni sat up and began pacing around the room. “Steve, you don’t understand… You don’t, I’ve been thinking. It’s all I’ve been thinking about, and this… This shouldn’t have happened.”

“What are you saying?”

“This? A backup to the terrorist?!” Toni asked. “This doesn’t follow the norms of terrorist attacks…”

Steve frowned, just as a yawn betrayed his tiredness. “What are you hinting at?”

“I don’t know! This just doesn’t fucking make sense.” She complained, stopping her pacing and looking at Steve. “Tell me I’m not being unnecessarily paranoid.”

He smiled softly at her and shook his head. “You’re not… You’re not, but I… Toni, I honestly can’t think right now.”

This is how Toni realized, Steve’s eyelids were practically shut at this point, “You’re… I’m so sorry! I didn’t even notice. Yes! Sleep. I’ll be out of your hair in an instant.”

Toni rushed towards the door only to be stopped by Steve calling her name; she looked back towards him, “Thank you for coming to visit, Toni…”

“You don’t need to thank me for that, Cap.” She nodded at him before retreating and heading back to the workshop.

“Welcome back, Miss.”

“How’s Steve?” Bruce asked as soon as he spotted her.

“He’s fine… Still tired though.” Toni informed him. “JARVIS, status?”

“See for yourself, Miss.”

A hologram appeared in front of her, just as she tentatively called out, “FRIDAY?”

“Right here, Boss. How can I help you?”

With a small smile, Toni went on to ask, “What’s your primary objective?”

“To help and protect SWORD team.”

Proudly, Toni said, “Good girl. First order of business, upload yourself on the Bus’s mainframe.”

“Not only one, but now two AIs? This is insane.” Bruce grinned at her. “Why would you do that? You realize your secret will be out now, right?”

“FRIDAY is necessary… For their safety.”

“And what can she do?”

“What they lacked, aerial support. She’ll maneuver the Bus and the Quinjet, whenever she deems it necessary.”

“You really care about them, huh?”

Toni and Bruce’s exchanged looks told Bruce all he needed to know.

 

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

 

 

“Steve gets an actual infiltration, and all we get is a ‘Get Well Soon’ balloon?” Clint complained to the engineer who’s gathered them all in the Bus as soon as they were released from bed arrest.

“You got a balloon? My wake up call consisted of the Trouble Man album playing in the background.” Sam seemed incredibly thankful.

“It was Rhodey’s suggestion.” Toni explained.

“I got a terrarium full of Black Widows…” Natasha shrugged.

“I got a box of chocolate…” Bucky claimed while eating one of them. “If you really wanted to court me, Toni, you really didn’t have to bring me my favorite chocolate.” Steve’s actual glare at Bucky after that statement lasted barely a second before he schooled his expression again, but only the Winter Soldier and the Black Widow caught it though.

“Alright enough…” Steve ordered only to be ignored by pretty much everyone.

“This is discrimination… Pure favoritism.”

“I’ve never pretended to like you, birdbrain.” Toni deadpanned and laughed as Clint’s face fell.

“I’ll go wallow in my corner!” He said dejectedly, getting up from the couch only for Natasha to push him back with a smirk.

“Stop being such a drama queen.”

“I’ll make it up to you, Clint! Wait and see.”

“You better!” Clint jokingly demanded.

The group fell silent again, waiting for Toni to explain to them why she gathered them, here, except the genius remained looking at them with an unreadable look on her face.

“Toni?” It was Steve who broke her out of her daze, and she managed a small smile just as she said.

“I’m really glad you’re okay.” Everyone’s faces grew softer at her words, and they looked like they were going to say something back except Toni couldn’t deal with the feelings and the emotions so she barreled on. “I have something for you all, and then for every single one of you individually.”

“Something?”

“A gift.” Toni explained.

“For what exactly?”

“For being alive?” She replied confusedly.

“This needs a gift?”

“I’m weird and eccentric, I thought we were past that.”

“You’re precious and unique, that’s what you are, doll.” Bucky offered much to Steve’s chagrin as he hissed at his friend again.

Only this made Toni chuckle lightly, watching Bucky with mirth and suggestiveness in her eyes. “Maybe I’ll show you your gift somewhere private?”

“Oh I’d _love_ that.”

“Would you _stop_ that?” Steve interrupted their flirting at the same time as his own voice gave way for a low growl, making all of the heads turn in his direction.

“You’re absolutely no fun, Cap… Really.”

“He needs to get laid.” Bucky offered as an explanation to which Toni replied with an, “Ahh! That explains everything,” causing Steve’s flush to spread all over his body.

“Well if it’s all the same to you, I’d really like to know what we’re doing here…” Sam interrupted Steve’s increasingly awkward moment like a godsend.

“Perhaps, it’d be more suitable for me to do the honors, Boss?” FRIDAY came out of hiding.

The way everyone startled – except for Natasha because she’s not human – and began looking around completely lost had Toni burst out in laughter, and answering. “Oh I don’t mind, Fri! The stage is all yours!”

“What is going on?!” Sam asked with a hint of panic.

“I am an artificial intelligence created by Boss. My designation is FRIDAY, I’ve been uploaded on the Bus and SWORD Quinjet’s mainframes.”

“An artificial intelligence?” Clint frowned. “Wasn’t that supposed to take an additional twenty years before a decent one could be created?”

“For the rest of the world, yeah.” Toni asserted.

“You’re saying that you made one?!” Bucky was positively shocked.

“You are currently talking to one, Agent Barnes.” FRIDAY stated.

Natasha asked, “Why did you create it, Toni?”

“First and foremost, why not? Second, it is a she. Third, FRIDAY?” Toni suggested.

“To help and protect SWORD,” came the simple answer which had the team fall silent before looking at Toni with fondness written all over her face.

“Help and protect, huh?” Bucky’s smile grew gradually.

“This is what you meant when we talked?” Steve inquired, his voice soft and calm.

To which Toni nodded and assured, “You’ll always have her as backup, from now on! She’ll find any suspicious aircraft around you, and bring it down before you even knew it existed. What happened will never be repeated.”

Another beat of silence settled between them before Bucky requested, “Can I give you a hug?”

Toni was rendered speechless; Bucky considered it as approval and closed the few steps between them to take Toni in his arms and hug her with the tenderness of someone holding flowers. For a moment, she tensed in his hold which prompted Bucky to whisper amusedly in her ear, “I know you…”, just like that all the tension bled out, and Toni found herself hugging him back.

The moment lasted a second before Clint called out, “Group hug!”, and jumped towards them and hugged the two of them from the side; when the other three didn’t budge, Clint pouted just as Toni, Bucky and him ended the hug, “Party poopers! You’re all party poopers.” Natasha hit him on the head drawing a painful, “Ow!” from him.

Steve’s mood had plummeted exponentially fast as he watched the interaction, and the way Bucky was still standing next to her. Sam had a crease between his eyes when he asked, “Are you okay, man?”

With a mere glance in Sam’s way, Steve ground out. “I am.”

“Well, you sure don’t look like it.”

“Shut up, Sam.” Steve caught Natasha smiling shark-like at him as if she knew something he didn’t which pissed him off even more.

Toni called for their attention once again, “So FRIDAY was a ‘Welcome Back’ gift to you all. There’s still the individual gifts…”

“You’re pampering us.” Sam stated amusedly.

“Not exactly. This is all standard procedure.” Toni explained.

“So you go around gifting every team which comes back from the brink of death?”

“Are you making fun of me, Clint?”

“He actually makes a good point.” Bucky was grinning at her.

“Why don’t we ask FRIDAY? She’s here to help, right?” Natasha was too cocky for her own good.

“Boss never interacted with anyone whose lives were endangered.”

“How would you know? You were only created two weeks ago…”

“I accessed SHIELD’s video logs.”

“The student has become the master! A round of applause for FRIDAY.” Clint clapped his hands before laughing.

“I thought I told you not to snoop on SHIELD’s mainframe.” Toni reprimanded her AI.

“I did not, Boss.”

“Then who di-… Oh JARVIS, you traitor.”

Steve confusedly asked, “Jarvis?”

Toni answered immediately, “My other AI…”

“I’m sorry, what?! Your other AI?!” Bucky’s eyes widened. “You have two AIs?!”

Natasha actually narrowed her eyes at Toni. “SHIELD wasn’t informed of the presence of an AI.”

“Now we’re keeping secrets from SHIELD?” Sam questioned.

“Not keeping secrets, not anymore at least. JARVIS is mine, I would have never shared him with SHIELD even if my life depended on it…” Toni shrugged nonchalantly.

“But now we know.” Natasha argued.

“Are you going to betray my trust?” Toni raised an eyebrow at Natasha who stood her ground, meeting Toni’s steady look with her blank one.

“You two going to fight? Cause I’d love to see that.” Saying that Clint was excited was a huge understatement.

Bucky seconded, “I’ll put my bets on Natasha.”

“Weren’t you trying to woo Toni a moment ago?” Sam was looking at him as if he didn’t know what to make of him.

Bucky was the only one to hear Steve’s actual whine at Sam’s words, and couldn’t, for the love of him, hide his cheeky grin. “I’m a realist, that’s all. Nat has the advantage of experience. Wooing has nothing to do with fair duel.”

“There won’t be any duel, pipe down.” Natasha glared at them before nodding at Toni. Sighing, Toni went on to show the team all the new gadgets and safety measures she added to their battle suits.

Starting with Sam, the new set of wings he got, included a parachute in each wing which enabled him the possibility of providing another person a parachute, along with a drone created by Stark; she called it Redwing, and apparently it is stored inside a compartment in the wings. Redwing provided him with the ability of doing long distance recon, assisting in combat as well as another mean of transporting people to safety; several other weapons were also stored in the EXO-7 Falcon suit. Wilson didn’t say a word, but fist bumped Toni and maneuvered Redwing to actually hover over Toni before landing slowly and tenderly on her shoulder which made Toni smile at him softly.

Then came Clint’s turn, Toni offered him a new variety of trick arrows the most important of which was the emergency ones; they allowed the user to hit targets and provide them with parachutes, and a multi-purpose quiver which can be used as a jet pack, giving the user the ability to fly for a limited amount of time, or as a parachute when there’s an emergency. The archer couldn’t contain his happiness as he giddily thanked Toni following it with, “I totally forgive you for the balloons,” which awarded him with a laugh from Toni.

Natasha was next as she received her new and improved Widow Bites coupled with the Widow Batons, and several other gadgets. The Widow Batons could be combined to form a staff, or they could be used as a flight option thanks to the repulsors built on the ends of the batons. Her catsuit also got a considerable upgrade as it became bulletproof and had many more different pockets and hiding places for her gadgets. After the demonstration, Natasha actually showed her thanks by electrocuting Toni lightly and getting a painful cry, “What was that for?!”

“Fun.”

Toni gaped at her, “I’m supposed to be satisfied with this answer?”

“I don’t care if you’re satisfied or not.” Which caused Toni to blink then to stick her tongue out. “Very mature.”

“I guess, it’s my turn now?” Bucky asked.

“Yeah, it’ll go fairly quickly, though. Most of your upgrades will be for that arm of yours.”

“Is that a date?”

“You bring coffee with you, and I’ll consider it a successful one, too.” Toni flirted back which had Bucky let out a surprised laugh.

“What have you got for me, honey?” Bucky said with a smirk.

“A new suit… A new weapon… New gadgets. You’ll have enough projectiles whose functions are the same as Hawkeye’s, provide parachutes to endangered people as well as you.” Toni explained. “As I’ve said, most of your other gifts are specific to your arm.”

“I got it! Thank you, Toni.” Bucky hugged her sweetly, before retreating as he let Toni address Steve.

“Finally, Cap,” Toni said, slowly. “I added some tweaks to your former suit and several small gadgets you can put in your utility belt. There’s also a Harley Davidson customized for you down in the garage… Your own parachute is also like Clint’s arrows…” At Steve’s amused look, Toni immediately backed her words up, “Those parachutes are safety measures. I don’t know why they weren’t there in the first place… It could’ve prevented all of this from happening.”

Steve nodded at her, “Thank you, Toni…”

“Oh no, I’m far from done… I may or may not have looked into my father’s files, and I may or may not have found notes on a certain thing he’s been meaning to make you, but never had the time to actually do. The notes mentioned the strongest metal on earth, something called Vibranium… It’s a very rare metal, or at least in this part of the world it’s rare… It is only found in Wakanda, an African Nation, and they are very reluctant to sell it to outsiders which is why I was shocked when I realized that Howard had managed to get his hands on some of it, and was planning to forge his gift to you with it…” Steve waited patiently for her to continue the story, “Now here I am completing his will…” Toni gave him a closed duffel bag and waited. Steve looked at her confused, but he opened the bag and found a huge round shield painted red, white and blue staring back at him, his gaze snapped up to meet Toni’s. The genius shrugged with an easy smile. “Every knight needs a sword and a shield. The team is the sword, and the shield is you… I thought it was fitting. If the colors aren’t to your liking, I can ch-” Toni was in the middle of rambling when Steve closed down the distance as his hand found the back of her head and brought it closer to his lips, kissing her forehead tenderly before letting go of the duffel bag and shield to embrace her tightly. “Steve…?” Her voice actually broke in the middle as she stood there not quite understanding what was happening.

“Stop talking… You’ve already done enough of that.” He said softly in her ear as his hold tightened. “I’m just overwhelmed.”

“You okay, Steve?” Bucky’s tone was worried, but Toni’s dazed mind didn’t pick it up.

“I am. Better than even.” Steve muttered, sure that Bucky will be able to hear him even though the others won’t, as the soldier was busy actually breathing in Toni’s lavender shampoo where his nose was buried in her hair. He felt her relax against him and even lift her arms to reciprocate as her breathing and heartbeat got steadier by the second.

The hug lasted a minute before they were interrupted, “Really, Stark?! I didn’t dub you as a poetry kind of girl.” Clint criticized just as Steve and Toni slowly separated, but not quite stopped from looking at each other.

“What are you talking about, Clint?” Toni asked softly, breaking their staring match to divert her attention back to the group, but remaining as close to Steve.

“All that crap about knights, shields and swords…” He continued complaining.

“Does he always nag like that?” Toni asked the others.

“This is all he seems to do, unfortunately.” Sam conceded.

“You always join in, you asshole.”

“You’re an overgrown child, Barton.” Bucky giggled as he watched the indignation set in on the archer’s face.

“I am not a child.” He pouted.

“You’re making a very compelling case, Agent Barton.” Toni quipped.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but Agent Coulson is searching for you Boss. I believe he has a new mission for you.” FRIDAY informed her.

“This my cue to leave.” Toni was starting to walk away, but a hand stopped her by taking ahold of her wrist. She turned around to see the owner of that hand looking at her intently, “You have got to stop preventing me from leaving.”

“Maybe I just want you to stay…” Steve’s answer was daring.

This had Toni tilt her head to the side while a tentative smile made its way on her face, “I would have loved to, but duty calls.”

“Be careful out there, Toni.” Steve told her, “We won’t be there to have your back.”

“Oh come on… When am I not?” Toni replied only to backtrack when she was met with the knowing looks of the SWORD team, “What?! It’s not my fault if in every mission something bad happens, and my cover’s compromised.”

“If by something bad happens you mean, you decide to mess with the bad guys by making most of their equipment explode and broadcast to everyone that you’re waiting for them to try and take you down, then we can’t fault you.” Sam said.

“That was one time!”

“And that time when you were so pissed by someone calling you a newbie in that one undercover mission with the mafia, that you decided to take him and the whole organization down on the spot.” Bucky mentioned.

“He asked for it.”

“And that time where you were supposed to sneak into an organization and decided instead to go through the front doors all ready for an all-out war.” Natasha added.

Toni sighed, “Alright! Okay! I get it! I’ll be careful.”

“See that’s what you always say before a bad mission.” Clint shrugged.

“So forgive us if we don’t quite believe you.” Steve looked at her apologetically.

“You guys are the worse…”

“We’re going to monitor you during your mission.” Steve announced, and when he saw that Toni was about to argue with him, he continued, “You don’t have a say in this, Toni!”

“You're hopeless.”

“Takes one to know one.” Bucky quipped back which earned him a betrayed look from Toni.

She then looked at where Steve was still holding her wrist and smirked at him. “Can I have my wrist back, if you don’t mind? Coulson will taser me if I avoid him any longer.”

“Taser you?” Steve questioned.

“I’ve been threatened after the last time I made him look for me for about an hour.”

He chuckled while letting go of Toni’s wrist, “Thank you again, Toni.”

“You’re more than welcome.”

With that, Toni left the Bus and went to meet up with Coulson. The team just stood there for a minute without saying a word before Natasha broke the silence and said, “That’s the first time Toni personally overseas a team’s equipment.”

They all looked at her with confused expressions, “What are you trying to say, Tasha?” Clint asked.

Natasha shrugged. “I’m just stating facts… Giving you guys something to think about.” She looked pointedly at Steve.

He stared right back at her before talking to the team, “I _think_ we need to go monitor the mission.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're loving the story so far, let me know! I'd love to interact with you guys.  
> Thank you for your support so far, I really appreciate it.
> 
> Things will be getting more and more interesting as the chapters add up. I really hope it's entertaining enough to you guys.
> 
> This chapter is longer than the others; the next one should be out pretty soon, but after that, I may have to take a few weeks off because of personal reasons.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Please read the notes at the end!**

 

 

The mission was easy enough. It consisted in escorting a very valuable asset to one of SHIELD’s safehouses on account of him being haunted by the Maggia after having betrayed them and exposed one of their warehouses. Everything was going according to plan until Toni’s tires were shot and her vehicle ended up colliding with a tree…

“Toni! Hey, Toni!” She could hear Steve’s voice calling her name as she slowly became aware of her surroundings: The airbag, the blood, the smoking vehicle and the unconscious asset to her right.

“Steve... How long have I been out?”

“A minute.” Steve told her.

Coulson’s voice came through next, “You need to get out of there now! Enemy’s been sighted and is approaching.”

“Hale is unconscious…” Toni opened her door and tried dragging herself out. “I’ll keep the threat contained until backup arrives.”

“Backup is busy with the Maggia right now.”

“I fucking hate my backup sometimes.” Toni groaned out in pain as she fell out of the vehicle and on her left arm.

“Agent Stark, report.” Hill commanded.

“I think my arm’s broken, I may have a slight concussion and I’m bleeding I don’t know from where, maybe my head… I’m going out to check the perimeter.” Toni announced as she got back on her feet, drew her gun from her thigh holster and began approaching except a foot immediately kicked it out of her hand.

A woman with red hair and fiery eyes stared back at her with a smirk on her face, before throwing herself at her with a quick succession of hard blows which Toni managed to dodge only barely with her uninjured hand. The woman managed to make Toni back away with each punch until she had her right where she wanted her and with a push kick sent her back against another tree. A second later, she had an arm over her throat, cutting off her air with a deadly efficiency, “You’ve stuck your nose into something you don’t understand, Agent Stark.”

“You know me?” Toni croaked out as she tried to get out of the red head’s hold, realizing too late that her arms were bound by a handcuff the assassin produced from one of her pockets and her legs were pinned.

Her smirk was downright creepy as her other arm drew her gun and aimed it at the unconscious asset still sitting in the car and in range of her weapon, “I’ve heard your success rate is still 100%. Let’s ruin that for you, shall we?”

The agent pulled the trigger only for her shot to miss its target when Toni threw her whole weight at her causing the fiery woman to lose her balance and for her choke hold to loosen; therefore, enabling Toni to slip away and suck in ragged breaths as she put herself between her target and her opponent. “Not gonna sit by while you do that.” Her voice was completely ruined, likely due to her damaged throat.

“You want to fight?” The woman grinned evilly. “With a broken arm, bound hands and a head injury which has slowed your reflexes and situational awareness by at least 50%? With all of those?”

“You’ll find I’m a tough nut to crack.”

This earned her a hearty laugh. “You’re already cracked, honey.”

Toni bristled at that and squared her shoulders. “Why don’t you come here and find out then?”

The look the other agent gave her was that of pity as she drew her gun and shot at Toni’s side; the genius actually grunted and fell down on her knees, saying between her clenched teeth, “Yeah I forgot about that.”

 “You shouldn’t have… Rookie mistake.” The agent was still pointing her gun at Toni as the SHIELD agent struggled against the pain. “Are you still a tough nut to crack?”

“It depends on what happens next.”

“Toni! Just hold on! The backup is making their way to you.” Steve told her through her earpiece, but she paid him no mind.

“That's all you got a cheap trick and a cheesy one liner?” Her red headed enemy grinned at her.

“Sweetheart, that could be the name of my autobiography.” Toni smirked back, drew her handcuffed arms up, her hand enclosed now with her best concealed weapon and fired her repulsor at her knocking her back and into the said tree.

Toni scrambled to get back up despite the pain and studied the Maggia woman, noting that she had lost the gun and the side of her head was bleeding. Toni wasted no time in freeing her hands, by shooting a repulsor beam at the handcuff and burning her left arm in the process, but at least she could now use her right arm effectively if not her left arm.

The woman didn’t stay down for long, seeing Toni’s distraction as an opportunity to push herself up and onto her feet before charging at Toni and delivering a flying kick at her only for the trained genius to dodge it and counter it with a front sweep just as her opponent was landing on the ground.

With her back on the ground, Toni immediately leaped on top of her and delivered a very hard blow to the agent’s head in the hoped of knocking her unconscious, only she didn’t, and instead used Toni’s injury to her advantage as she kicked Toni’s wounded side punching out a cry from the engineer and offering the woman the chance to turn the tables and push her opponent to the ground.

“You seem to have ended up in the same position as before!” Toni was again in a chokehold, struggling to breath.

“You seem to have forgotten something.” With that, the whine of the repulsor could be heard before her assailant was flying away from her. “Rookie mistake…”

Toni’s bad luck culminated in her opponent landing next to her gun and immediately taking a hold of it before shooting at Toni and hitting her right shoulder. With a horrifyingly sadistic smile, the woman said, “One more thing, Stark. Ellen Brandt, you ought to remember the name of the one who brought you down.”

Toni collapsed down on the floor, her vision going blurry, her ears ringing and her breathing turning ragged as she watched Ellen get closer to the car only to startle when she didn’t find the target anywhere and instead fell down on her knees as her hand went to her neck and plucked a tranquilizer from it. To say that Toni was confused was an understatement, she had no idea what had happened until one of her backups appeared in front of her. She saw the agent’s lips move, but Toni couldn’t for the love of her understand what she was saying to her; nothing was actually getting to her until she felt hands land on her right shoulder and others on her side, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. And it was with a painful cry, that Toni passed out.

 

**_~A couple of moments before~_ **

“Rogers, I swear to God if you don’t stop pacing, I’ll sedate you!” Fury snapped at Steve.

“With all due respect, Fury, fuck yourself!” Steve ground back, earning a few gasps from his team as he continued pacing.

Fury was speechless for two beats before announcing. “I will let this slide for your sake, not for mine…”

“Steve you need to calm down.” Coulson advised him only for the man to whip around and look at him with a murderous stare.

“And you need to have Toni’s back. I guess we all won’t end up getting what we want.”

That was when Steve heard Toni’s cry in the speakers and the agents reporting that she’s unconscious. It kept repeating as a broken record with Steve losing himself to that one sound as everything and everyone around him simply faded out.

The other agents immediately realized what was going on as Fury took charge of the situation, “Initiate Protocol Alpha Sentinel!!” Fury snapped at Bucky, “Get him out and to Sub-Level Two a guide will be waiting for you.”

“Roger that, Director.” Barnes answered immediately as he and Sam along with the other SWORD members tried to usher Steve out of the Missions Room.

The room was silent for a moment before Coulson spoke up, “This is the first time that Rogers experienced an episode like that.”

“He’s never zoned before?” Pepper asked.

“He did when Agent Barnes lost an arm, but never once after that.” Hill reported.

“That’s a decade ago.” Pepper was shocked at the news. “Toni triggered this one?”

“It looks like it, yes.” Fury frowned. “That girl is getting more and more troublesome.”

“Her track record is still perfect, though.” Coulson said as they all watched Toni getting loaded up into the Quinjet surrounded by the medical team on call.

“Will she pull through?” Pepper asked worriedly.

“She’s a fighter, Pepper. Don’t worry.” Coulson assured her as they all waited for the Quinjet to land and for Toni to be rushed to the Surgery Room.

 

“How long was I out of it?” Steve asked as he took in deep breaths while counting their numbers.

“It took two minutes to get you out, Agent Rogers.” The guide informed him. “What sense was affected?”

“Hearing.” He answered as he clung to the woman’s steady grip on his forearm.

“And how are you feeling, right now?”

“Steadier by the second.”

“You had a couple of people scared.”

“They’re just not used to seeing me zone.”

“Maybe you should consider Zone Out training for your team… This might be crucial in a mission.”

“I thought I had a good grasp on my senses.”

“You’re unbonded, Agent Rogers, and a strong Sentinel, the serum made it so. It’s only normal for your control on your senses to falter from time to time in extreme conditions. It is better to be prepared for such occasions.”

“Duly noted, Agent Cromwell. I’ll see to it that my team gets trained in order for them to be ready to pull me out of a zone, if there’s a need.”

“That’s all I’m asking.”

“Am I cleared?”

“Let’s do an exercise before I set you free, shall we?”

“I don’t really have a choice.”

She smiled at him knowingly, “I’ll make it painless, don’t worry.”

“Didn’t even cross my mind.” Steve smiled back.

“Okay. Sight…” Steve focused on that sense and dialed it up leaving the others down to human levels as he relayed to Cromwell everything he was seeing around him in the room down to the ant which was holding a bread crumb on the other side of the room. “Good, Steve. Smell.” He did the same thing, and told her about the black coffee Rumlow’s drinking on the first floor, and the smell of grilled onions from the cafeteria. “Now touch.” He described her hold on his forearm, the texture of the couch he’s sitting on, the type of flooring in the room. “Taste.” The bitter taste of the coffee he had drank prior to the team meeting up with Toni in the Bus, and the slight traces of the toothpaste he used this morning. “Finally, hearing.” He heard the sounds of footsteps in the second floor, heels about 4 inches in height, the sound of his team talking outside the door as well as the tiny steps of the ant which was running away with her food. “You’re good to go, Agent Rogers. Maybe try to stay away of sudden noises for the next few hours, okay?”

“Thank you.”

Steve got up and left the room. He was met with his team waiting for him with neutral and worried looks; Bucky was the first one to speak, “Are you okay?”

“I’m out, aren’t I?”

“You scared the crap out of us, man.” Sam admitted as he clapped his shoulder lightly.

“I’m sorry, it’s just…” He stopped himself, and instead focused on what actually mattered to him, “Is Toni okay?”

“She’s on her way to SHIELD, right now… She’ll be here any minute now.” Natasha informed him.

“Let’s go then.”

“Are you sure, Steve?” Clint asked, “Are you sure she won’t set you off again?”

Steve debated against himself if he should tell them the truth or not, but ended up choosing to be totally forthcoming with them. “Sudden noises might set me off.”

“Then isn’t it better to actually wait for her to get here?” Clint suggested.

“No… We wait until she’s out of the surgery, if we wait outside Steve will be able to hear everything going on inside.” Everyone looked at him strangely. “We’re super soldiers, enhanced senses. With him, it’s even more.”

“That’s creepy, dude.” Sam hissed.

“Yeah we know all about your deepest darkest secrets, Wilson.” Bucky threatened playfully while Sam mock gasped.

“Are you two done?” Natasha asked, bored as she was. She then turned her attention at Steve. “Let’s go try out our new suits, shall we?” Smirking at him, Natasha squeezed his arm in support. “Maybe get to know FRIDAY a bit better, too.”

Steve recognized Natasha was trying to distract him, and clung to the opportunity with the desire of a desperate man, “I’d love that.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is the chapter I promised before taking a short break from writing! I hope you guys liked it.  
> Scream at me in the comments as much as you like! I'll try to find some time to answer.  
> Thank you for the support!
> 
>  
> 
> This chapter includes the official introduction of the Sentinels and Guides AU in this story.  
> Further explanation on those designations will appear in future chapters until then all you need to know is that:  
> \- Sentinels and Guides are a very small percentage of the population.  
> \- It takes something extremely traumatic to cause someone to come online as Sentinel or Guide.   
> \- Otherwise this quality remains latent or it never existed in the first place.  
> \- Soulbonds are exclusive to these pairs.  
> \- These soulbonds can be platonic, not necessarily romantic.  
> \- Sentinels experience sensory overload. This is called a Zone Out.  
> \- Guides experience emotions overload. This state has no official name within the fandom (I might change that).  
> \- There are professional guides and sentinels who help fellow sentinels and guides when they are overwhelmed.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so I'm back!   
> The updates will become a bit slower from now on.

 

 

It is FRIDAY who informed them of the surgery’s end while the team was sitting in the common room, going over the previous mission’s report and debating what they could have done better. Steve was up in a second, ready to barge into the Medical Wing except Bucky stopped him just as FRIDAY explained that no visitor was authorized… With his nerves on edge, Steve decided to go sit in his room, take out his drawing pad and begin indulging himself.

It was an hour later when he realized that the drawing in front of him had Toni’s features; the soldier sighed and rested his head against his propped-up hands, taking a few deep breaths to steady himself.

“Captain Rogers, if I may…” FRIDAY’s voice sounded briefly inside his private room.

“Yes FRIDAY.”

“I believe you would like to be informed of the surgery report and subsequent decisions pertaining to the Boss.”

Steve perked up immediately. “Of course. What do you have for me?”

“She will remain in the hospital bed for a week after which she will be cleared under the condition of not using her two arms unless it is for the bare necessities.” FRIDAY informed him, “Boss will be rested from engineering for approximately a month while she will remain an additional two weeks before she gets called back for field work.”

“A six-weeks recovery time.” Steve contemplated, “She won’t like that.”

“It has already been decided.”

“Why are you telling me this, FRIDAY?”

“I thought it might be of help regarding Operation Team Stark.” Steve blushed furiously at that.

“You know about Operation Team Stark?!”

“I am required to know all about your operations and help you achieve them, Captain Rogers.”

“This one isn’t even an official operation!”

“Not an official operation? But Agent Romanoff and Agent Potts added it to the server.” FRIDAY’s voice sounded unsure, and Steve was completely taken aback by how real it seemed even though FRIDAY was a simple program; Toni’s genius knew no bound of that Steve was sure.

“They did?”

“Should I delete it?”

“No… No it’s alright, it is an operation the whole team is working on with Pepper’s assistance.” Steve considered her for a moment before asking, “What do you suggest we do about that information you shared with me?”

“Recommended course of action is to take advantage of both of your situations. Boss and you are both benched.”

“Take advantage… How?”

“According to JARVIS…”

FRIDAY was cut off by Steve’s indignant cry, “JARVIS is in on this as well?!”

“JARVIS monitors me… My system is based of his, it is only normal.”

Steve’s blush deepened as he sighed while leaning back, “This just got even more complicated. Pepper and JARVIS.”

“JARVIS has a protocol enacted to protect your privacy, Captain.”

“What does that mean?!”

“It means that Boss cannot access any of your operations especially ones under the ‘Top Secret’ classification. She made it that way, in order for SWORD’s missions to remain secure and exclusive to the team members and handlers.” FRIDAY explained. “This operation falls under this classification.”

“Toni did that…” Steve looked up at the ceiling in deep thinking. “You were saying something before I interrupted you…”

“It has been four years since Boss went out.”

“What?!” Steve straightened up at that.

“Ever since she joined SHIELD, Boss spent those years either training, working in the lab or going on missions.”

“She never took a break?!”

“No, Captain.” FRIDAY responded much to Steve’s surprise.

“So, you want us to take her out?”

“I am merely suggesting it. Although, I believe it would be preferable not to send the whole team with Boss.”

“Thank you, FRIDAY.”

“You are welcome, Captain.”

A beat of silence passed before Steve spoke again, “Um… FRIDAY?”

“Yes, Captain Rogers?”

“What’s your take on Toni’s vitals?”

“Boss’s vitals are steady, Captain. There is nothing to worry about. The doctors will pull her out of the medically induced coma tomorrow.” Steve thanked her again before going back to his drawing of Toni.

 

 

A day after Steve got word that Toni has awoken, Steve made his way into the Medical Wing and went straight to Toni’s room after asking the nurses there. Much to his surprise, James Rhodes was already there sitting next to her, checking her over; the two of them were startled by each other as neither of them spoke until about two minutes passed. The Lieutenant Colonel was the first to break the ice, his voice authoritative and commanding respect while also remaining low enough for Toni not to wake up, “I was under the impression that SWORD was her backup, Captain?”

“Not on this mission, sir.” Steve’s military days made him straighten up and salute his superior.

“And why’s that?”

“We are currently benched, sir. The previous mission was a couple of days ago and it went sideways, had the whole team in medical.”

Rhodey considered him for a moment, his features relaxing slightly. “I’m sorry, it’s not on you, I shouldn’t blame you guys. It’s just the fact that I just got her back, you know… And apparently this was a close call, and I just can’t really wrap my head around it.”

“I completely understand, Lt. Co. Rhodes.”

“Call me Rhodey, everyone does…”

“Rhodey it is then… I’m Steve Rogers, but I guess you already knew that?” His tone was questioning and Rhodey smiled at it. “You can call me Steve.”

“Well, you have quite the reputation around the military and here. Also, the brat here never shuts up about you, all of you.” Rhodey’s smile turned fond. “I have it on good authority that you were the one behind my recruitment here.”

Steve blushed at that. “They told you?”

“She told me. Thank you, by the way. You made our reunion possible…”

“She regretted not staying in touch with you, then again SHIELD was pretty strict in that regard given her name and status… According to the public, Toni Stark is dead.”

“I know that now.”

Silence settled between them as Steve stood awkwardly near the door while Rhodey went back to looking at the unconscious genius. “You were with her in MIT?” Steve asked.

“We met there. She was out there going all lone ranger on the whole institute, it ended up not really sitting well with some of the folks there. She was much younger than everyone else there so she was relatively an easy bullying target.” Rhodey shook his head. “Weirdly enough, we ended up becoming roommates. It was very rare to have a roommate of the opposite sex, but as it turned out the two of us were paired with two twins, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff were their names. They were Sokovian, and were always attached to the hip they even entered the same school. They believed, being already outsiders and strangers to the country, that they would feel infinitely more comfortable if they were to actually be roommates. Which is why Wanda asked Toni if she’d mind switching with her brother.”

“Naturally, Toni accepted.”

“She did. She wanted to avoid problems, and she thought that insisting on living with a roommate who had asked her to leave very early on was a problem in the making. So she accepted, and ended up in the same room as me.” Rhodey chuckled. “And let me tell you, she immediately made her presence known, drew her borders and asked that I don’t cross them while promising not to bother me if I don’t bother her.”

“I can’t imagine that lasting.” Steve actually snorted at that.

“It actually lasted three weeks. Three weeks went by with us following the roommate pact instigated until one day while she was making her way back to her room, she got intercepted by a guy, hitting on her in a not so respectable way. When that guy took hold of her arm, she flinched before immediately delivering a mean right hook to his face that had his nose bleeding; I think she may have broken it too. The guy was fuming at this point, ready to ‘put her in her place’, or at least that was what I heard when I ran up to her, punched the guy, again, and dragged her away from him and into our room; we ended up laughing like maniacs. I think that’s when our friendship started.”

“That sounds like Toni…”

Huffing amusedly, Rhodey continued, “I used to call her ‘brat’ and she’d always seethe and hiss like a little cat. It was adorable as fuck, made me want to protect her even more urgently which had her complain and pout even more. Don’t get me wrong, she usually held her own just fine thanks to her Aunt Peggy who had taught her a couple of self-defense moves, but I always tried to be there for her whenever someone wanted to bully her. It never hurts to have someone watching your back… Toni doesn’t get that, contemplating the reasons behind that actually makes me nauseous.” Rhodey looked pained. “When she told me that she was one of SHIELD’s top solo agents I got worried, but then she told me that SWORD, one of SHIELD’s elite teams, was her backup and I knew she was in good hands.” Looking in Steve’s direction, Rhodey noted the Captain’s guilt-ridden expression, “It’s not your fault, Steve. There’s nothing you could have done to prevent this from happening… So stop blaming yourself.”

“I should have been there… We should have been there.”

“You weren’t mission ready.”

“I know that, objectively… Subjectively, I’m still working on it.”

Nodding, Rhodey stood up from his chair and walked towards him as he patted him on the shoulder. “You’re a good man, Steve. It was nice meeting you, but I have to go back to the base.”

“Likewise, Rhodes.”

A moment later, he was alone in Toni’s medical room still standing next to the door as he watched her prone figure breathe slowly. The traces of bruising around her neck were visible as well as the support belt on her left arm and the bandages over her right shoulder, her head was also wrapped in gauze, and Steve was pretty sure there was even more bandages under that gown of hers. She looked like she got put through the wringer, still and bed ridden unlike her usual self…

Without much thought, Steve took the few steps separating him from Toni’s bed before leaning over her and raising his hand to gently stroke her cheek with his index finger. His fingers then caught the few strands of hair which had fallen over her face and put them behind her ear prior to him sitting on that armchair next to her where Lt. Co. Rhodes sat a few moments ago.

The soldier sat in silence, his senses focusing on the beeping of the hospital monitor as well as Toni’s own breathing, the antiseptic smell in the room as well as Toni’s own blood, the rise and fall of the bed sheet rhythmically with the patient’s breathing as well as Toni’s own heartbeat pulse signal, the feel of the sheet under his fingers as well as Toni’s own hair between his fingers.

He took note of all their surroundings and sat vigilantly next to her, his hand spasming in its desire to reach out to Toni and touch, Steve finally gave in. His hand found hers, and Steve began tracing all sorts of shapes on her wrist right over her pulse.

It may have been hours or mere minutes before he felt Toni’s hand twitch in his and saw Toni frown slightly just as she squeezed her eyes shot, her head turning to the side. Steve was straightening up as soon as he saw this series of events transpire in front of him. “Toni?”

Suddenly, she froze. Her head turned towards him, opening her eyes slowly. “S-Ste-” The word came out raspy which had Toni clear her voice. “Steve…” She finally said in a tired voice.

“Yeah, I’m here, Toni!”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toni's awake!! Things will be getting more and more interesting so bear with me.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's been a while, but as I've said, updates will be getting slower, I'm actually behind on writing, and won't be able to actually do anything in the next two weeks, so sorry in advance.

 

 

“I never did quite manage to ask about my mission, the first time I woke up. The target?”

“Alive and secure, the mission was a success, thanks to you.”

Toni sighed in relief, “I’m glad.”

“ _I_ , on the contrary, am glad that you’re fine and awake…”

Toni looked at him pensively before squeezing his hand, “Tough nut to crack.”

“Last time you said that, you got shot.”

She snorted, “You carrying a gun, Rogers?” She raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him, “Should I be worried?”

He smiled down at her as his other hand came up to her head settling on top of it before sliding down her hair until it reached the back, and tilted it down for Steve to place a tender kiss on her forehead which had Toni’s cheeks redden ever so slightly. “I’m the one doing the worrying here… You just rest, you’ll need it.”

“I’ll have enough time to rest in those godforsaken six weeks.” Toni bitterly bit out.

Steve corrected in the hopes of lifting Toni’s spirits up. “Technically, it’s a month before you get to go back to working in the workshop.”

“I’m supposed to feel better now?”

“A month is better than six weeks.”

“Just stop talking, Steve.”

“You can do a lot of things in a month.”

“What exactly?”

“Well you could for one spend more time with Bruce down in the lab, or you could catch up with Rhodey every time he comes here on a visit, or you could go assess SHIELD trainees with Coulson like he’s been trying to rope me into doing ever since I joined SHIELD officially. Or maybe, you could consider going out in the world among normal people and pretend that you’re one of them for a day or so.” Toni tilted her head at that. “I have it on good authority that having a companion makes trips like this more memorable.”

A small smile broke out on Toni’s face at that, “You’re not even trying to be subtle anymore Steve…” Toni’s eyes were soft, but also held mischief and amusement behind them.

“Who says I was going for subtlety?”

Toni’s eyes crinkled at that just as she began chuckling in that sweet way which always managed to get Steve to feel all proud of himself, and all gooey inside, “You’re unbelievable… You don’t have to keep on doing these things for me, Steve.” She looked down at their hands, contemplating them solemnly, “You know that I forgave you a long time ago right? You don’t have to prove anything anymore, you never did…”

“It’s not about that anymore, Toni… I told you I want to get to know you.”

She frowned, confusedly at that. “Why would you go through all that for something as inconsequential as that? I’m no-”

His hand found her face again slowly smoothing the frown out of her expression and cutting her rambling short, “Isn’t it obvious, Toni?”

Her voice seemed to have taken a vulnerable tint, “No…”

“You’re worth the effort.” He smiled at her while his hand fell down over her cheek, stroking delicately as he gazed into her eyes. Toni’s features broke as she took an unsteady breath and leaned into his hand, her eyes watching him from under her lashes.

His senses picked out an increased rhythm in her heartbeats, but he paid it no particular importance not when the feel of Toni’s skin against his was so vivid and grounding and not when she was looking at him so expressively. Steve couldn’t help but treasure this particular moment between them, a moment spent in complete silence, but never for one second feeling awkward.

It was when he left after Toni fell asleep again that Steve realized the butterflies in his stomach and that elation he felt, it took two seconds for his own thoughts to whisper back at him, _“You love her.”_ For him to completely lose his footing and stumble into a few unknowing and unfortunate agents who had happened to be walking on his path. He froze on the spot, blinking a couple of times slowly before that same thought came purring in his mind again. _“You love her, and it’s been going on for quite some time now… It’s not about Operation Team Stark anymore… It stopped being about it a long time ago. And you knew that. You knew that.”_ Followed by a conflicting, _“But she’s not a guide. She’s not a guide…”_ The next thought brought him to a halt. _“A bond with a guide can be platonic. Stop denying it, you_ **love** _her.”_

“Oh my God, I love her!” Steve muttered absentmindedly, suddenly he was grabbed, pulled into an office and thrown onto the nearest chair available, the door locking behind him and his attacker.

Bucky stood in front of him with a wide grin on his face, “You love her?”

Steve was up in a second, invading Bucky’s space while letting out a dangerous growl, “You’ve got a problem with that?!”

Bucky took a step back and lifted his arms in submission, “Easy Tiger, I’m not here to encroach on your territory.”

Steve was confused, but the growl didn’t let up, “You’re not?!”

“I was only flirtin-” The growling grew louder again, “Hey come on man, it was just to get you to see reason.”

“W-What?”

“You were too oblivious to your own feelings, I had to take matter in my own hands.” Bucky shrugged. “And hey it worked.”

“No thanks to you, asshole.”

“Oh you kiss your mother with that mouth?” Bucky smirked at that, “Sarah would have washed your tongue with soap, I hope you know that, punk.”

“Jerk.”

“So you love her.” Bucky had a knowing grin on his face.

“Yeah… I had just finished from my visit to her when the thought occurred to me. I may have scared a few agents in the vicinity, though.” Steve admitted. “Anyway, how did you hear that?”

“I was in the vicinity.” Bucky explained briefly.

“Try better.”

“I was looking for you actually, and FRIDAY told me that you were with Toni, so I thought I’d go pay her a visit while meeting up with you.”

“Why for?”

“Sparring session.” Bucky’s smile now turned mocking, “Don’t tell me you forgot…”

“Shut up!” Steve groaned out.

“Oh you’re not in love, you’re head over heels. This is epic, I need to tell the team!”

“You don’t need to do anything.”

“Are you kidding?! And have them miss out on the numerous opportunities of messing with you, no thanks! I’m a team player.”

 

 

The next time, Toni woke up it was to see Coulson sitting next to her, watching her face with a serene look on his face. No words were exchanged between them, but Coulson just stood up handed her the mission report before ruffling her hair and exiting the room. When she read it, she felt herself relax even more with the confirmation of Steve’s words: the mission was executed perfectly with no casualties accounted for and with the asset secured.

It was seconds later when Director Fury entered the room with a stern look on his face. “You don’t usually do medical visits, do you?” Toni asked playfully.

“How did you know?”

“It shows…” Fury huffed at that as he stood in front of her bed with his arms crossed.

“You’re a serious pain in the ass, Toni.”

“We’re on a first name basis?”

“This is where you stay quiet and listen.”

“I’ve never been good at following decorum.”

“It shows.”

Toni chuckled at that. “Touché!”

“You’re a pain the ass, but luckily for us, you’re one of the good ones. Much like SWORD… Your contribution is right up there between the best, and even though you’re still new, but you’re carrying out all of your missions perfectly and adapting pretty well.”

“I should get injured more often.”

“Why?”

“I’m getting compliments… From you!”

“If positive reinforcement will get you to behave, you have a deal.”

“Behave?” Toni frowned. “You’re not here to compliment me, you’re here to officially announce to me that I’m royally benched.”

“You’ve always been bright. It’s only temporary, Toni.”

“No you don’t get to emotionally manipulate me using my first name. It’s Stark for you, Director.”

“Stark, you’ve already been informed of your medical status. I hope you don’t think that you can function properly with this laundry list of injuries…”

“You have no idea what I can and what I can’t do.”

“You’ll find that I’m the one who knows most about your capabilities which is why I’m the one who’s the most invested in knowing that you’ll rest!”

“It’s not happening, Fury! I can’t.”

“Yes you can… Take it as a holiday.”

“I don’t want to.”

Fury’s jaw tightened, “For fuck’s sake, Toni! If you exacerbate your injuries, you might do some permanent damage… I have it on good authority that you need your arms to do most of the field work as well as the engineering.” Toni glared at him, “You know I’m right. You hate it, I understand, but you can’t do anything.”

“Don’t challenge me, Fury.”

“I’m not here for a confrontation. I want to reach an agreement with you…”

“An agreement?”

“If you accept your predicament, I’ll keep FRIDAY and JARVIS-” Toni’s eyebrows rose up at that, “A secret from the higher ups.”

“Are you bribing me?”

“I’m just doing you a favor and calling mine in return.”

“I don’t see it that way.”

“I don’t care how you see it… Do we have a deal?” Fury asked urgently.

“What do you get out of all of that?” Toni inquired. “I don’t understand, aren’t you the one who’s supposed to beg me not to bench myself?”

“You’re actually ahead in the projects SHIELD, I, pitched you, so creation wise we can make do with the other R&D engineers. Missions can be carried out by other operatives.”

“They won’t be as successful as me.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

“Still doesn’t answer my question.”

“I get you to rest.” Fury shrugged.

“Rest?”

“I know you’ve been running yourself ragged. I know you’ve been spending countless nights wide awake finishing projects and creating new ones while also working on your very own…”

“I’ve been doing that for the past 4 years.”

“I know that and contrary to popular belief, yours mainly, I do care about you, Toni! This isn’t healthy. Normal agents have a certain number of days off: You’re both a scientist and a field agent, by all standards you should have the double amount of days off, yet you never used them.”

“A, I’m really flattered. B, what brought this on now when, as I mentioned, this has all been going on for the past 4 years. C, I don’t need them.”

“No you’re not. You just recently became a field agent. Yes you do.” Fury answered back.

“I’m not going to win this one, am I?”

“No you’re not. I suggest you accept my proposal.”

“We both know I was sold the moment you mentioned it.”

“It’s great doing business with you, Stark.”

“Oh so we’re back to Stark now?”

“You told me to.”

“Eons ago. You elected to ignore me.”

“Now I’m electing to respect your decision.”

Toni facepalmed. “Just lemme ask you one question.”

“What is it?”

“Did Steve rope you into this?” Fury nodded to which Toni ended up laughing, “He really isn’t subtle, is he?”

“No he’s not! The other SWORD members were also affected by his unsubtlety.”

“You really think so?”

“Ever since I started getting complains of a metal armed assassin glaring daggers into any team who dared to suggest they convince you on their team.”

“Oh so that’s why, the invites are getting fewer.”

“And the fanmail, too.”

“Let’s not forget that!”

“You discovered yet who that secret admirer was?”

“You know I can, or at least JARVIS can, but where’s the fun in that?!”

Fury scoffed. “Only you… Only you.”

“You love it! Stop acting all high and mighty and admit it!”

“I think I just did.”

“That was you pitching your idea.”

“That was me actually meaning every word.” Fury shook his head, “You’re a real piece of work, I hope you know that.” He seemed to focus on something else as his body slowly turned in the direction of the door; it was only minutes before he nodded at her and made his way towards the door, “Duty awaits.”

“It does…”

“No it doesn’t.”

“Thought so… Thank you, Nick.” Toni said off-handedly as Fury made his way out.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, the actions are still fairly slow, but things will be getting quicker from now on.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry guys for the wait! I've just been really busy, and had no time at all to work on the story! Thank you for being patient with me... 
> 
> Enjoy it!

 

 

She sighed long-sufferingly before trying to reach her phone which was sitting on the bedtable next to her, only for her to actually wince when her injured shoulder and side flared as she pulled her stitches. It wasn’t long before the next visitor came and with him her very own tablet; Bruce made his way next to her and handed her sanity back given that she was beginning to become stir crazy the longer her stay in the bed was prolonged. Soon, they were exchanging ideas and debating scientific concepts for several hours on end; it was only when Pepper came into the room to scold them that Bruce excused himself and got back to his lab.

“So you want to tell me about Cap asking you out?!”

Toni blushed furiously, “He did not!”

Pepper tilted her head to the side. “You’re so precious sometimes, Toni!”

“What do you mean sometimes?!” Toni sounded offended, “I’m always precious.”

“And we’re back to being a pain.” Pepper smiled at her, “You’re not going to change the subject, Toni!”

“There’s no subject to change. Steve didn’t ask me out.”

“So when he suggested you go out in the world, preferably with company, he wasn’t asking you out.”

“He was offering to keep me company… He said he wanted to get to know me.”

“And how is that not him asking you out?”

“He’s just being nice, that’s his whole angle! He’s nice, there’s nothing more to it…” She saw Pepper’s incredulous look and reiterated. “Stop it! There’s nothing.”

“He zoned out.”

“He what?!” Toni was confused at the change of subject.

“Steve zoned out.”

“Z-Zone out? Isn’t that… Isn’t that a Sentinel thing?” The frown was getting deeper and deeper as Pepper went on.

“It is.”

“You’re saying that Steve is a Sentinel?”

Pepper’s look turned questioning, “You didn’t know?”

“He is?!” Toni was beyond shocked, “How would I know?!”

“I just thought that your parents or Agent Carter must have told you.”

Toni was becoming more and more desperate, “Those things are supposed to be a secret… I wasn’t even a part of SHIELD then and now I’m not that high on SHIELD’s level of clearances for such an information to be disclosed to me.”

“Oh my God, I shouldn’t have talked… You shouldn’t know! Just forget about it.”

“No, no I don’t think I will forget about it! What do you mean he zoned out?! Isn’t that dangerous? What caused it?”

“Damn it! He just up and zoned out, yes it’s dangerous, but it was resolved quickly by a professional Guide. You caused it.”

Toni did a double take, “Wait a second… W-Wait, just wait… What?”

“You caused it.”

“What do you fucking mean I caused it?!” Toni’s voice grew higher and her heart rate spiked instantly.

Pepper was looking worriedly at the monitor next to her before answering hesitatingly, “Your cry of pain when your backup applied pressure to your wounds triggered his zone out.”

Toni was stunned, to say the least. She was looking at Pepper, but it seemed as though she wasn’t really seeing her. Her heart rate was still elevated and her breathing ragged as she mulled over the words, “Toni…?” Pepper called tentatively, but there was no answer. “Toni? What are you thinking?”

“Why?”

“I don’t know why it triggered a Zone Out. All I know is the only other zone out episode was when Agent Barnes lost his arm…”

“Bucky’s his best friend, his childhood friend… I don’t… I’m not…”

Pepper’s hand reached out and squeezed her shoulder to get Toni to snap out of her nervous rambling, “It happened… It just happened, what are you going to do about it?!”

“Get the hell away from him?!”

Pepper glared at her disapprovingly, “What do you mean get away?!”

“I’m a danger to him! I’m… I’m a potential trigger. _Fuck!_ ” Toni raised her hands to her eye level and realized they were shaking; she immediately clasped them together and tried to continue talking, “H-He doesn’t need an additional strain to his control… Sentinel senses are trigger happy, he’s unbonded, isn’t he?!” When no answer came from Pepper, Toni cursed again, “He’s unbonded, which means he’s untethered. Plus he has the super soldier serum which also enhances the senses, he’s actually struggling isn’t he?!”

“Two episodes in five to six years? That’s actually amazing, considering.”

“Five to six years?!” Toni immediately caught on, “He went online because of the super soldier serum?”

Pepper observed her for a minute, “You’re too clever for your own good, Toni.”

“You’re a terrible secret keeper.”

“It was an honest mistake!”

“I know Pepper… I know it’s just…”

“No. No! I’m not going to let you just push him away out of some misguided sense of guilt!” Pepper argued. “It’s not your fault! You were in pain.”

“It is my fault because I became a weakness!”

“It may have been a one-time thing! Don’t give yourself too much credit.”

Toni actually sneered at that, “I’m doing the opposite of that.”

“I know, I’m sorry! I’m just, I don’t know what to say! Toni, you need to be logical! Do you really think Steve will be better if you were to push him away?”

“Yes!”

“Okay I realize it was the wrong question to ask.” Pepper continued, “Do you really think he’ll let you push him away?”

“He doesn’t have to know.”

“And what? You’ll avoid him?”

“Yes!”

“Very childish, Toni.”

“I am a child.”

“I’m glad we got this out of the way, but the point remains… You’re not going to distance yourself from him.”

“I will.”

“No you won’t, you wanna know why?”

“You’ll say it either way.”

“You’re right, I most certainly will.” Pepper nodded to herself, “It’s because you can’t physically bare to part from him.”

“What are you-?! Pepper are you shipping us? For real, now?!”

“I’m not shipping you! I’m only stating the truth!”

“I don’t like him.” Pepper levelled her with a knowing look, “Alright! I do, but he doesn’t!” The same look remained, “He doesn’t!” Her voice got higher pitched. “You don’t know him! I do… I’m just a friend.”

“A friend he wants to protect at all costs and who’s that precious to him that he zoned out.”

“He’s a sentinel.”

“Stop with the prejudice.”

“It’s not about that! It’s about the fact that I’m not a Guide!”

“You don’t know that!”

“Yes I do! I’m not a Guide!”

“And even if you’re not… Sentinel and Guide bonds can be platonic.”

“That’s very rare.”

“Rare doesn’t mean inexistent.”

“Don’t give me hope, Pep!” was Toni’s outburst to Pepper’s previous argument. The red headed agent stared at her friend with a pained look on her face.

“Don’t push him away.”

Toni sighed, “I won’t… Even though, I should.”

“You’ll find that you’re wrong.”

“You’ll find that _you_ ’re wrong.”

“We’ll see.”

“We’ll see.” Toni repeated again.

Pepper raised an eyebrow at her before she made to leave, “Have fun on your date.”

“It’s not a date!”

Standing at the door, Pepper quipped back, “Keep telling yourself that.”

Toni was once again alone, left to her own devices to wrap her head around the new information she just gathered, “J, you there?”

“For you, Miss? Always.” JARVIS responded from her tablet.

“You caught that?” Toni asked absentmindedly as her thoughts were caught in a loop replaying when Pepper told her that Steve zoned out because of her.

“Captain Rogers being a Sentinel? Yes, I did.” JARVIS announced. “Do you want me to conduct a research on that matter?”

“I want you to get me everything SHIELD has on Steve… And I want to know more about Sentinel and Guides.”

“Anything in particular?”

“Platonic.”

“Platonic soul bonds?”

“That.”

“Noted, Miss.”

 

 

The next time she and Steve met up, which was really only a day later, Toni had no idea what to do or how to act, and given that she was practically sleep deprived from all the research she’s been doing on top of being on some mild painkillers, her brain to mouth filter was shot to hell.

“So you’re a sentinel.”

Steve paused in the middle of the room when two seconds ago he was approaching her bed. “Yes?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Toni tried not to sound accusatory, but knew it came out all levels of wrong.

“You didn’t know?!”

“Why does everyone assume that I do?”

“I thought Howard, Maria or Peggy would have told you… If not, maybe Coulson would have.”

“Well they didn’t. It was a secret! I don’t have that much clearance.” Toni spat back angrily, “You should have told me.”

“Why?” Something about this conversation was making Steve feel on edge, he just needed to know.

“Why?! You’re seriously asking why?!” Toni replied angrily as she sat up instantly in her bed, wincing a little at her injured side, “Because you’re a motherfucking sentinel, that’s why!”

Steve felt his stomach drop as his voice turned tired and wary, “Is it going to be a problem?”

Toni immediately sobered up at that as she considered the soldier in front of her and the look on his face, “God no! Steve, how can you think that? How… Don’t you know me enough as it is?” Steve watched her expressions morph from anger to sadness and resignation.

It is a widely known fact that sentinels and guides are very rare, they constitute a small percentage of the population. As a minority, there’s a lot of misconceptions as to their nature, one may go as far as to describe the general public opinion as fearful and generally not in favor of those people, it is why most of the sentinels and guides prefer to keep their natures a secret as best as they can, in order to avoid public scrutiny. Like in everything, there’s also those zealous extremists who just hate and persecute this small minority at every chance they can get. The fact that Steve thought she may be one of them hurt her. Steve recognized that and mentally berated himself for even considering it a possibility because the fact of the matter is: he knows her, her core values and her thinking process, and this shouldn’t have ever occurred to him.

He could blame it on the shock of knowing that she had no idea and seeing her all riled up, but Steve knew it wasn’t an excuse, he should have known better. He rushed to her side and caught her hand earnestly, “No, no, no, Toni! No, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to.” The look she gave him seemed to be reading him like an open book. “I didn’t mean to think that, it’s just… No I don’t have an excuse, I don’t. I shouldn’t have and I’m sorry. You wouldn’t ever think that, and I know that, I knew that.”

“It’s okay, it’s not a big deal.”

“Even if it’s not, I’m really sincerely sorry for everything. For assuming that you knew, for not telling you and for thinking that you may hate on sentinels and guides.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s really not.”

Toni’s features relaxed slightly. “It’s gonna be okay though… I’m the one who’s sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that…”

“No it’s definitely your ri-”

“Can we just stop arguing, Steve?” Her voice was so small, it mellowed him out instantly and he sat down docilly on the armchair next to her.

“You got it.” He announced peacefully while squeezing her hand.

She considered him for a moment before extricating her hand; she caught Steve’s hurt look just as she pushed her legs over the bed to have them dangling freely and her facing Steve in nothing but her hospital gown and undergarments. She reached out with the tips of her right hand and skimmed lightly and fleetingly over Steve’s left cheek; the super soldier closed his eyes as his hand twitched in the direction of hers, but remained pinned on her bed where her hand used to be. The next thing Toni does, had him bend down and lower his head almost cordially as she ran her fingers through his hair, lightly scraping his scalp with her perfectly done nails which earned her a low groan from Steve.

Her hand then stilled before falling back down to his nape and squeezing, a gesture that had Steve’s muscles unlock and turn to putty simultaneously, he sighed contentedly and his head ended up falling on her thighs. Toni chuckled lightly at that even as Steve mumbled, “You’re good with your hands…”

“Now they’re injured, see when they’re in top form.”

“They’ll be the end of me.”

“Were you always such a drama queen?”

“I wouldn’t want to steal your thunder.” Toni laughed out at that just as she went back to running her fingers through his hair slowly… “You’re seriously giving me goosebumps, Toni.”

“So I guess I’m doing a good job of getting you to relax then.” Toni stated. “You’ve been high strung ever since I got back from my mission…”

“You were in danger.”

“I know that, you know that… It’s why you’ve been constantly on high alert, isn’t it?” The genius asked discreetly as her fingers carded through soft blond hair. “It’s why you’re always coming back here to check on me… It’s why you want to be my backup… It’s why you’re suggesting you go with me out in the world. You’re protecting me… You’re protecting your ‘pack’, and somehow you consider me one of them.”

Steve pushed himself up to look at Toni as her hand fell down to her side, “You _are_ one of my pack… The most important part of my pack.”

“That’s your guide.”

“Now that’s you.”

“I can’t take a guide’s place, Steve.”

“You’ve been doing an amazing job without even knowing… I have never felt more grounded than I feel when I’m with you.”

Toni seemed to actually take it to heart. “But Steve… It’s because of me that you zoned out.”

He froze at that, “So they told you?”

“Pepper slipped up…”

“It’s not your fault… This only proves how important you are to me.”

“Yeah… Enough to make you lose control over your senses.”

“Enough to make me lose control over my senses when my tether’s life’s in danger.”

“I’m not your tether, Steve… I can’t be what you want me to be. I don’t even know how to pull someone out of a zone out… I’m not a guide.”

“You’re a friend. Not even SWORD knows.”

Toni raised an eyebrow at that, “Isn’t that dangerous?”

“It is, the professional guide I went to see, when an episode dawned on me, recommended we start Zone Out training for the team…” Steve told her, “Now that we’ve established that you’re part of my ‘pack’, I want you to take it, too.”

Toni actually seemed shy when faced with the possibility, “I don’t want to impose.”

“You’re not… I requested it from you. I want you there, Toni.”

“On what ground?”

“As part of my team.”

“Your team?”

“Yes, mine.” Steve’s eyes flashed, and Toni actually smiled lightly at that.

“Sentinels are quite territorial, huh…”

“You have no idea.”

“Was that another invitation to SWORD, Steve?”

“It’s not only SWORD anymore, Toni… And you know it.” He said with a steady voice. “It stopped being only SWORD when I first apologized to you.”

“I work better alone, Steve.”

“You keep telling yourself that, we’ll keep proving to you that you work better with us, the same way we work better with you.”

“There’s no convincing you, is there?”

“No, no there’s not. You’ll have to make do.”

“That’s easy, I’ve been making do ever since I joined SHIELD.”

Steve actually laughed at that before the two of them exchanged pleased looks. “We good?”

“We are.” Toni smiled at him before she reached out with her free hand, “Help me up, will you?”

“Are you allowed to be out of bed this early on?” He said while also catching her hand in his and helping her stand up from the bed and lean against him for support.

“My upper body’s shot to hell, not my lower one.” She grumbled, starting to walk and work her numbed legs with the Captain following her every step in sync. “I’m sick of staying in bed, I’m not used to being this confined.”

“God forbid you rest, huh?”

“Don’t sass me…”

“You’re a hopeless case, Stark.”

“Right back at you, Rogers.”

 

 


	17. Chapter 17

 

 

“Alright JARVIS, let’s sneak out.”

“I advise against that, Miss.”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion, J, only for your help.” Toni admonished, “Clear the way, I don’t want anyone to see me, least of all Fury.”

“You are clear to go, Miss. The lab is also empty…”

“Perfect, wouldn’t want Brucie Bear to catch me red handed.”

“We wouldn’t want that.”

“Don’t talk back at me. You know why we’re doing this.”

“Actually, Miss… I don’t know why, you did not share the knowledge.”

“I want to work.”

“I concluded that when you chose the workshop as your destination, Miss.”

“Then why are you asking?”

“I am asking to know why do you think that would be a good idea.”

“To prove Fury wrong…”

“And what if the opposite happens.”

“It won’t.”

“I admire your confidence, Miss.”

“Well, you should. Now cut the questioning, we have a mission to do.”

Toni began limping her way out of her hospital room and towards the elevator shaft, JARVIS suggested, “Do you need me to send DUM-E up to help you?”

“Are you saying I can’t make it to the workshop?”

“Calling DUM-E as we speak.”

“Very funny.” When the elevator door opened, she did a double take, “Jesus, you actually did it.”

“I told you, Miss.” JARVIS stated.

“Yes you did… Alright DUM-E, take me to the lab.” She leaned on the robot as she entered the elevator and waited for it to go down to her lab where she tread towards her worktable and settle on her stool with a slight wince.

“Is there any possibility for you to reconsider your decision, Miss?” JARVIS tried again.

“No, can it JARVIS or I’ll put you on mute.”

“Very well.”

“Alright, babies! Mommy’s home! Wake up.” And with that the whole workshop came alive as holograms of projects put on stand by appeared in front of Toni.

Toni actually missed being in the workshop surrounded by all the latest technologies as well as half-finished projects, discarded ones and electronic parts. At some point in time, Toni actually refurbished the whole workshop – including Bruce’s space – to accommodate Coulson’s car, a 1962 Chevrolet Corvette. He wanted a few upgrades to the car he inherited from his dad, and Toni went above and beyond to actually make it unique enough to suit the only agent who actually believed in her while in SHIELD Academy all the way up to when she became a field agent; she genuinely thought that she should at least pay him back in the best way she can.

It was precisely ten minutes later when Toni threw the wrench away and cursed aloud while collapsing onto a stool. “Fuck…”

“Miss…”

“If you’re going to tell me that you told me so, shut it, J.”

JARVIS remained silent as Toni sighed and raked her hands through her hair frustratingly. “Should I call Agent Potts, Miss?”

“No.”

“Captain Rogers then?”

“Even worse. I don’t need help.”

“Calling Dr Banner now.”

“Stop, J.” Toni sighed.

“Very well, Miss.”

“I’m gonna go rest on the couch… You don’t have to call anyone.” Toni stumbled off of her chair and walked slowly towards the couch where she all but collapsed, letting out a pained grunt.

“Shouldn’t we alert someone to your whereabouts?” JARVIS attempted to ask only for Toni to groan.

“Mute.”

A moment later, Toni laid down on the couch and sighed. “I’m really not gonna be able to work at all, huh?” DUM-E whined at her as he stood vigilantly at her side. Patting his side, Toni dosed out and was out like a light almost immediately.

 

“I didn’t think I’ll get to see you in the workshop so soon.” Bruce’s voice pulled Toni slowly out of her sleep. “JARVIS when did she come in?”

When no answer came, Toni murmured, “He’s muted…”

“Why?”

“He was pestering me.”

“Ah! This is completely convincing.”

“My AI, my rules…”

“Can he talk now?”

“May as well.” She tried to get up, but her grogginess weakened her strength ten-fold, so Bruce rushed to help he sit up.

“Captain Rogers’ coming.”

“He is?!” Toni startled, accepting her fellow doctor’s help.

“He seems pretty angry, too.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re one stubborn piece of work.” Steve complained. “Why aren’t you in your room? I thought we agreed to stay away from the workshop until you’re fully healed up.”

“It’s torture, Steve.”

“I know… But you’ve still not recovered from the very basic injuries let alone the more complicated ones.” Steve folded his arms together and gave her a stern look. “We’re going back.”

“No, no I’m not.”

“Yes you are, Toni.”

“I’m not a kid, Steve… I don’t like it there! I don’t want to be bedridden, I managed to move and work just fine.”

“Which is why it’s a mess here, right?”

“It’s always like this.”

“Toni.”

“Steve.”

“You’re insufferable.” Steve sighed before approaching her. “How about you go spend your down time with the rest of the benched team then?”

“You mean on the Bus?”

“Yes, there.” Steve nodded at her. “Dr. Banner, you’re welcome to join too.”

“It’s Bruce for you, Captain. I’d love to…”

“Then please call me Steve.”

“Will do.”

“That leaves us with you…” Steve waited patiently for her answer.

“I should be the one inviting you onto it.”

“That’s a yes.”

“She won’t leave the workshop willingly.”

“Stay in the workshop and don’t work, or go with me and I’ll help fill out your time.”

“Today?”

“If you’re up to it we can go out today… But I prefer if we waited for at least a week before then.”

“So I’m still going to wait.”

“At least you’re not in a hospital bed.” Bruce threw the comment almost as quickly as he rearranged Toni’s workspace.

“Touché.”

“Besides there’s the team training I’ve talked to you about.” Steve pitched in. “It’s happening during this week.”

“The Zone Out Training?” Bruce asked.

“You know about that?” Toni startled.

“I’m required to know when I’m sent as the team’s doctor.”

“I didn’t realize you knew, Bruce.” Steve sounded apologetic. “I would have invited you if I knew.”

“It’s not necessary, I already know everything there is on this training.”

“I’m feeling completely left out.”

“Stop being so dramatic, and come to the Bus already.” Bucky’s voice filled the workshop as the three heads turned towards his approaching form.

“Bucky?” Steve inquired. “What are you doing here?”

“You took too long, the team got impatient, so they sent me after you because they think you have too big of a soft spot for Toni that she actually managed to make you stay instead of her going to join us.”

Steve blushed embarrassedly at that while Toni turned towards him with a smug grin on her face. “Soft spot, huh?”

Bucky huffed. “Don’t change the subject. Come with me!” He went to actually take her hand and drag her out of the workshop except Steve’s instincts kicked in and caught his hand, twisting it away with a low growl. “Ow! For God’s sake…”

“Steve!” Toni was startled at the display in front of her while Bruce winced in sympathy. “W-What…”

“Don’t touch her.” His voice was low and threatening.

“It’s okay, Steve! He wasn’t going to hurt me.” Toni exclaimed, a bit worriedly.

“What the fuck man?!” Bucky complained. “Let me go.”

Steve pushed him away, looking horrified at himself. While Bucky was busy rubbing his flesh hand. DUM-E approached him with the fire extinguisher. “DUM-E no!!” It was too late for Toni’s exclamation as the Winter Soldier got doused with the foam from head to toe. Bruce actually ended up laughing followed closely by Toni while Steve was slightly confused and Bucky shell-shocked.

“My apologies, Sergeant Barnes… DUM-E has a character defect.” JARVIS sounded very remorseful. “His solution to every problem is to douse it with the fire extinguisher.” DUM-E beeped at Bucky inquisitively as the soldier sighed.

“No worries.” Bucky huffed out a laugh, before jumping on Steve and sharing the foam with him. “This is my revenge.”

“I actually deserve it.” Steve acquiesced.

“Of course you do,” was the answer.

“Did you seriously just attack your best friend?” Toni frowned at Steve.

“Um… It was an accident, I didn’t mean to…”

“Steve’s been on edge for quite awhile.” Bucky explained. “Not that I’m actually excusing him.” He punched the super soldier’s arm, only for Steve to actually catch it quite impressively. “See?” Bucky looked quite impressed himself. “It was like that after I lost my arm too… He didn’t let anyone get anywhere close to me. It was very suffocating, but I guess it’s something he has to do… To assert his territory?”

Steve nodded, and Bruce confirmed, “Sentinels are territorial and over protective… In normal circumstances, he’d have more control over those traits, but apparently the last Zone Out is making him exhibit more control over his senses rather than over his traits.”

“Do you have like a PhD in psychology too?” Bucky asked.

“He’s/I’m not that kind of doctor.” Toni and Bruce said at the same time, before exchanging amused looks.

“Trust me, I learned that the hard way!” Toni exclaimed.

“Oh come on! It was one time.”

“And the last!” Toni huffed at him.

“Okay! We’re getting derailed here.” Bucky stopped the argument. “I need a shower. Steve needs a shower. The team doesn’t want us to come back without you. Bruce you’re invited, too. Now move it people.”

“No I have a few experiments to run. I’ll catch up with you, later.”

“Tonight’s movie night! We’re expecting you.” Steve insisted.

“There’s movie nights?!” Toni was mesmerized as she began following the two soldiers.

“If we’d known all it would take to convince you to join our team was the promise of a movie night, we would have done it sooner.” Bucky suggested, chuckling a little at Toni’s look.

“It goes to show that you guys are really unfit of the title of SHIELD’s finest.” Toni taunted them.

“Do you actually want us to hug you?” Bucky raised an eyebrow at her.

“Keep your filthy hands off of me!” Toni took a step away from Bucky before looking amusedly at Steve. “Steve’ll protect me.”

“Steve’d actually join in.” Steve corrected.

“Traitor.”

“Look who’s finally showed her face!” Clint exclaimed just as the three of them made their way onto the Bus.

“What the hell happened to you two?” Sam pointed at Steve and Bucky.

“Steve went all alpha male on me, and Toni’s robot went on a rampage.” Bucky’s statement had Toni and Steve look affronted.

“I already told you I’m sorry.” Steve exclaimed.

“Don’t talk about DUM-E like that!! He may not be perfect, but he must be protected.” Toni huffed disdainfully.

“You know who must be protected?” Natasha approached the genius who watched her confusedly. “You!! You’re an absolute pain in the ass. I hope you know that.” Natasha actually flicked her forehead. “You had us worried, котенок.”

“I just… Needed to work. I was getting restless.”

“You’ll have plenty of time to go binge working after you’ve healed up!” Clint announced. “What you don’t need is to aggravate your injuries and set your recovery back!”

“For once, I have to agree with Clint,” was Sam’s statement to which Clint looked betrayed. “That’s the first time you’ve ever made sense, dude.”

“Ouch! Rude and uncalled for.”

“I have to agree with Sam, as much as it pains me.” Bucky shrugged.

“Alright enough! Steve, Bucky go shower. Toni you’re with us.” Natasha took the lead.

“Are you guys babysitting me?”

“You’ve brought this on yourself.”

“Did Pepper set you up on this?”

“It was actually Rhodey!” Sam confessed. “Said that we didn’t do a good job the first time, this is our last chance to have your back or else he’ll kick our asses. None of us want to be on the liaison’s bad side.”

“Wise decision, I’ll give it to you.” Toni conceded as Natasha nudged her towards the couch.

“We have strict rules not to aggravate her situation.” Sam repeated pointedly while looking directly at Clint.

“What?!” Clint was offended. “I wasn’t going to do anything that might hurt her.” Natasha levelled him with a knowing look. “I’m not sadistic.”

“And I’m not made of glass.” Toni complained.

“You let us be the judge of that.” Natasha dismissed her.

“Hey!”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way: 
> 
> котенок is Russian for 'kitten'.
> 
> Thank you for reading. Let me know if you're loving the story! ♥


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Previously:_
> 
>  
> 
> “It was actually Rhodey!” Sam confessed. “Said that we didn’t do a good job the first time, this is our last chance to have your back or else he’ll kick our asses. None of us want to be on the liaison’s bad side.”
> 
> “Wise decision, I’ll give it to you.” Toni conceded as Natasha nudged her towards the couch.
> 
> “We have strict rules not to aggravate her situation.” Sam repeated pointedly while looking directly at Clint.
> 
> “What?!” Clint was offended. “I wasn’t going to do anything that might hurt her.” Natasha levelled him with a knowing look. “I’m not sadistic.”
> 
> “And I’m not made of glass.” Toni complained.
> 
> “You let us be the judge of that.” Natasha dismissed her.
> 
> “Hey!”

 

 

“Well we certainly can’t trust _you_ to have sound judgement regarding your physical health.” Coulson made his way in closely followed by Pepper.

“Are you insane, Toni?! Do you have any idea how worried I was when I came into your room and didn’t find you there?”

“Do you have any idea the torture I was forced to live away from the workshop?”

“Where did that bring you?”

“Away from the workshop.” Coulson asserted. “You did not play that well, I’ll admit that. Fury even told you, not to do it…”

“It only made me want to do it even more.”

“Did you even end up doing any work?”

“According to JARVIS’s report,” FRIDAY filled them in much to Toni’s shock, “It was barely five minutes before she was throwing the equipment away and collapsing from exhaustion.”

“Are you teaming up with JARVIS, FRIDAY? Should I be worried?”

“I am merely functioning according to my main directive.”

“Your main directive is to assist and protect SWORD members.”

“Which includes you, Boss.”

“I’m not part of SWORD.”

“Captain Rogers explicitly added you to the official members as well as Agents Coulson and Pepper, Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes and Doctor Banner… Should I access the official log?”

“Steve did?” Toni was staring confusedly.

“He’s been trying to convince you to team up with us ever since we met.” Sam explained. “I don’t get why you’re so surprised.”

“You hated my guts when you first met me.”

“Let bygones be bygones.” Clint quoted very seriously.

“I might just hit you… I just might.” Natasha threatened bodily violence while Clint flinched away.

“FRIDAY will protect me, won’t you honey?”

“I may suffer a bit of a downtime some time soon, I might not be able to back you up, Agent Barton.”

“This is conspiracy! FRIDAY is turning into Skynet.”

“On a more serious note, when is your training due?” Coulson asked

Sam answered, “In about an hour and a half.”

“Where is Captain Rogers?” Pepper asked.

Coulson asked. “Shouldn’t he attend the training done for his own sake?”

“He and Bucky are showering. They went squeaky clean to retrieve Toni and came back covered in fire extinguisher foam.” Natasha explained to him.

“It was a very hilarious sight.” Sam announced while high-fiving Clint.

“It was no one’s fault. DUM-E’s a bit trigger happy!” Toni explained.

“They should be back by now.” Clint added.

It was merely five minutes after Clint’s prediction that both Steve and Bucky made their appearance and were positively surprised by Pepper and Coulson’s presence; Steve settled down on the couch, chuckling at something Bucky said while he took his place next to Toni. He turned towards Toni with eyes still twinkling from his previous laughing fit and whispered, “You okay?” Toni was rendered speechless and a bit hot under the collar at Steve’s look with the damp hair and sparkling eyes, so much it took her about a minute to regain composure and nod at him and be blindsided by another one of his disarming smiles.

Being the meddler that he is, Clint popped in between them, “We having secret conversations, now?”

“Knock it off, Barton! Can’t you see they’re having a moment?” Bucky scolded him, flicking the controller at him and hitting him in the head. “Stop trying to escape getting your ass beaten five ways till Sunday.”

“You wish!” Clint accepted the challenge gladly, leaving Toni and Steve alone much to their delight.

Steve didn’t say anything else, just stayed close to Toni and very aware of her every movement to gauge if something’s bothering her. Contrastingly, Toni was conscious of Pepper and Coulson’s amused looks in their direction, but refused to actually acknowledge them, only because she didn’t trust herself not to give away her emotions; she’s pretty sure that she’s one hair’s breadth away from turning red.

It had Natasha call her out on it which Toni brushed aside, too quickly it seems if Natasha’s mouth twitch was anything to go by, as being due to tiredness; Steve not being a master interrogation specialist didn’t catch that small slip and took her answer at face value, immediately turned to her with concern written all over his face. Assuring him that she’s fine, Toni focused her attention away from all the eyes which were currently watching them and towards the heated match between Clint and Bucky at Mario Kart. The others followed along and soon enough teams were being built encouraging one or the other, placing bets and sometimes taking turns in the contenders’ place.

Unbeknownst to her, Toni’s actual tiredness caught up to her, and she felt herself grow drowsy as the minutes went by, until she all but blacked out.

 

 

Steve was watching Bucky and Clint’s heated argument unfold when he felt a sudden weight on his shoulder; he turned in Toni’s direction and found her asleep with her head against Steve’s shoulder, breathing slowly and steadily. He looked up for a moment to find Pepper watching him with a very warm smile as she gestured for him to look to his right where Natasha stood offering a blanket and whispering, “You need any help repositioning her?”

“I don’t want to wake her up.” He muttered.

Coulson immediately appeared next to Natasha, “Leave it to us, then.” He then reconsidered his suggestion, “If you don’t mind that is.”

Steve nodded at him, and the two agents approached Toni and slowly maneuvered her up and away from Steve while they instructed Steve to lean a bit to the side to which he immediately complied. Seconds later, Toni’s head and injured hand were on his chest and her legs were propped up on the couch; still sound asleep, Toni settled in her new position as Steve’s arms went around her, finding nowhere else to put them. Both Natasha and Coulson retreated then while Sam covered them with the blanket and Bucky whispered to FRIDAY to turn down the lights and sound as everyone continued what they were doing as if nothing was amiss. In this position, it really wasn’t surprising for anyone when Steve fell asleep too, with one of his hands slowly carding through Toni’s brown locks.

However, the soldier still ended up waking up before the genius to find the room deserted and only him and Toni remaining in the darkened room. Not minding the loneliness one bit, Steve continued playing with Toni’s hair enjoying the feel of it in his hand while occasionally bending down his head to breathe its scent in. It really surprised Steve how much these simple acts were grounding him when Toni wasn’t even a guide… It was fascinating and mind-intoxicating to have found someone his soul was resonating so much with that the Sentinel in him was feeling content and centered enough to not lose himself and zone out, when, a few months ago, he felt like he was growing more and more restless as time passed by. There was something about Toni that had his Sentinel completely tamed even without the Guides’ tethering abilities, that had his Sentinel completely enamored with her, and that had his Sentinel unable to fathom the prospect of not having her close by.

Eventually, Steve felt Toni stir in his arms, and the hand which was on his chest twitch and slide down to his stomach in an attempt to find leverage only Steve caught the hand in his own which caused the genius to actually still before her head lifted and two sets of brown met two sets of blue. Steve smiled down at her which had her frown before her head settled back on his chest, “I’m getting cramps, looking up at you.” She slurred, tongue still sleep heavy as she sighed and her fingers tightened their hold briefly where they were settled against his stomach. “How did I end up like that?”

“Natasha and Coulson thought this position was more comfortable for you.” He let go of her hand and instead went back to embracing her with his two arms.

“Natasha and Phil?” He could hear the confusion in her voice just as her fingers began tracing shapes over his chest, causing goosebumps to appear on his skin. It didn’t go unnoticed to Toni’s perceptive eyes as she taunted the super soldier, “Are you like… ticklish?”

“I might be…” He answered sheepishly, much to Toni’s amusement.

He felt her hand still for a second before going back to drawing circles, sometimes even stopping to splay her widely open hand all over his stomach followed by her fingers tracing his abs one by one with laser focus.

To say the least, it was driving Steve insane, the closeness and intimacy of the moment; Toni’s undivided attention and how she’s comfortable enough to stay in the same position she found herself in while unconscious. He seriously didn’t know what to think, especially not after that realization he was hit with a few days ago; if Bucky were here, he’d be making fun of him over how gone he was for her.

And he was, there was no denying it, he was; and maybe Toni was aware of that fact, and maybe not, but either way she wasn’t saying anything about the loud beating of his heart or the quick intakes of breaths he was taking.

Then a voice scared the hell out of the both of them as Toni jumped and actually moaned in pain when it jostled her injured side. “If you’re done gazing into each other’s eyes, the Zone Out training is due in ten minutes.”

“Ever heard of anything called subtlety, Barnes?” Toni complained with her face buried in Steve’s chest as she recovered from the flash of pain she just endured.

“Unfortunately, it went right past me, now get up! The team is done tolerating your domesticity.” Bucky approached them with intent filling his eyes.

Steve held up his hand placatingly, “Alright, alright we’re getting up. Jeez.” He then looked down at Toni. “Want any help?”

“Nah, I’m good.” She propped herself up and off of Steve with one hand, wincing in the process as she felt her stitches getting pulled. “I should have stayed in the hospital room.”

“You think?!” Clint exclaimed.

Coulson came to her side helping her up and asking, “Did you pull anything? Want us to pass by medical?”

“I don’t think I need medical.”

“Bruce can you check her?” Pepper asked the doctor who immediately agreed and went to see the stitches Toni had on both her shoulder and side, ruling out any possible aggravations.

“Let’s go then.” Sam announced as they all exited the Bus and went towards the lower levels where the training session was going to be held.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this is a relatively short chapter. Mainly because I wanted to get something out before taking a brief break in order to catch up on some writing.  
> I hope you like it. Let me know what you think, and also thank you for your support! ♥


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _And he was, there was no denying it, he was; and maybe Toni was aware of that fact, and maybe not, but either way she wasn’t saying anything about the loud beating of his heart or the quick intakes of breaths he was taking._
> 
>  
> 
> _Then a voice scared the hell out of the both of them as Toni jumped and actually moaned in pain when it jostled her injured side. “If you’re done gazing into each other’s eyes, the Zone Out training is due in ten minutes.”_
> 
>  
> 
> _“Ever heard of anything called subtlety, Barnes?” Toni complained with her face buried in Steve’s chest as she recovered from the flash of pain she just endured._
> 
>  
> 
> _“Unfortunately, it went right past me, now get up! The team is done tolerating your domesticity.” Bucky approached them with intent filling his eyes._
> 
>  
> 
> _Steve held up his hand placatingly, “Alright, alright we’re getting up. Jeez.” He then looked down at Toni. “Want any help?”_
> 
>  
> 
> _“Nah, I’m good.” She propped herself up and off of Steve with one hand, wincing in the process as she felt her stitches getting pulled. “I should have stayed in the hospital room.”_
> 
>  
> 
> _“You think?!” Clint exclaimed._
> 
>  
> 
> _Coulson came to her side helping her up and asking, “Did you pull anything? Want us to pass by medical?”_
> 
>  
> 
> _“I don’t think I need medical.”_
> 
>  
> 
> _“Bruce can you check her?” Pepper asked the doctor who immediately agreed and went to see the stitches Toni had on both her shoulder and side, ruling out any possible aggravations._
> 
>  
> 
> _“Let’s go then.” Sam announced as they all exited the Bus and went towards the lower levels where the training session was going to be held._

 

 

Both Pepper and Coulson escorted them there, and greeted the Guide, Elisabeth Waters, assigned to conduct this session, before leaving the group alone. Their coach sat them all down on the couches scattered all over the room and introduced herself very formally prior to starting her quick overview of the subject at hand.

Toni’s knowledge on the Sentinel and Guide situation was certainly lacking… She never encountered anyone who was one or the other, nor did she ever take the time to actually do some research, so all she had to go by was practically nothing. She knew they existed as well as the public’s view on them, a view she felt herself reluctant to share given that she didn’t know anything, and therefore couldn’t really form a judgement; this is the extent of her awareness… The fact that Steve ended up being a Sentinel just surprised her, not because of the repulsion some of the members of society had for them, but because she was honestly taken aback and ashamed of her lack of knowledge.

According to Waters’ crash course, Sentinels are typical humans but with enhanced senses, bodies and minds. Due to this enhancement, it is very possible for them to end up experiencing sensory overload which inevitably causes them to Zone Out. Zoning out means that the person becomes so focused on one of their senses that he loses himself in it; thus, becoming practically catatonic and unaware of the world around him. It is dangerous to keep a sentinel in this state for a long period of time, because the more time passes, the more the chances of them coming out of the zone depletes, which automatically increases the chances of death, which is why guides are usually there to help pull them out. Guides, on the other hand, are also typical humans but with high empathy. This enhanced ability of theirs is what helps sentinels get out of a zone quickly and more efficiently without further ramifications. It also means they are very attuned to the emotions of those around them which can be somehow very taxing; this is where Sentinels come in.

Guides provide the Sentinels with a tether to their enhanced senses, a focal and solid point through which they can perfectly handle and control their senses. Sentinels provide the Guides with a shield to their high empathy, a protection against the sometimes-overwhelming emotions of people around them.

There are usually compatible pairs of sentinels and guides, and then there are those which are perfect; this is where the soul bond comes in.

According to studies, all of the earth’s population are either sentinels or guides, some of them are active, others either dormant or extinct. The analogy to volcanoes then applies: An active volcano is one which has recently erupted and may erupt again. A dormant volcano is one which has not erupted in a long time, but can erupt in the future. An extinct volcano is one which has erupted thousands of years ago and there’s no possibility of eruption.

Therefore, people are either dormant until such a time that they awaken; all known awakening cases were triggered by a traumatic near-death experience, but no official studies prove that this is the only way for those traits to become active; or they are simply extinct with no possibility of ever actually awakening. Elisabeth gave them the example of Steve being an active Sentinel, while Bucky was considered extinct, with no way of actually proving this hypothesis to be true…

There actually are tests which can be conducted which will determine where people fell in the sentinel and guide spectrum; as would spectrum entail, there are actually about three levels on each side: Prime, standard, sub. Prime is the peak manifestation of one’s enhanced abilities; the lower we descend in the spectrum, the more those enhanced abilities approach mainstream ones. Subs will still remain enhanced, but slightly more so than humans with dormant and extinct traits. Also, the higher we go in the spectrum, the more unstable one becomes and the more necessary pairing up with a guide of the same level becomes.

“Steve is categorized as a prime alpha. The only thing actually going in his favor and helping him being stable is that the enhanced abilities which came with being a Sentinel were backed up partly by the super soldier administered to him; due to this, his unstableness and the control he needs to exhibit in order to stave off a Zone Out is equal to that of a normal sentinel except when he tips over the edge this is when his prime status takes over and his descent becomes quite fast compared to that of a normal sentinel.” Elisabeth explained while watching Steve for any sign of disagreement. “You might think that a normal guide would suffice, and by all means it should… But if things were to become really dangerous, if he were lost in the Zone for more than ten minutes, only a guide with an equal footing to his status can entertain the possibility of being able to pull him out; I’m saying possibility because as long as the guide isn’t his, and by that I mean the two of them aren’t bonded, bonds are not necessarily soul bonds they can be compatible bonds, the tethering abilities of any guide with regard to a particular sentinel wouldn’t be as potent as that of the sentinel’s bonded guide.”

“Then where do we come in?” Natasha cut to the chase.

“It’s the same as being well-versed in giving first aid help in a combat situation. If you catch a Zone Out episode in the very early stages, the chances are your training will come in handy and pull the sentinel out of the episode… It’s always helpful to have a guide on site, he’ll be able to smooth out his coming out of the zone, but I know it’s not always easy to find a guide with equal standing with the sentinel and the team in question which is why it is usually preferable to have the whole team undertake this Z training. I don’t know why Director Fury waited for this long, but now here we are.” She nodded at them. “Alright, so as already explained, zoning out occurs when the sentinel becomes too focused on one sense and loses himself in it that all the others get tuned out and he becomes practically catatonic, completely unresponsive. In such a situation, a good reflex to have is to present him with contrasting sensory input. You try to see which sense is responsible for the episode and you go and poke his other senses as acutely as possible, in the hope that it will register in his muddled brain and pull him out.”

“So this is all hypothetical?” Clint asked.

“It’s not.” Elisabeth assured him. “Enough studies have been conducted and have proved that this is a very effective way to pull someone out of a zone.”

“At least it works for me.” Steve confirmed a bit shyly.

“How do you know?” Bruce asked out of curiosity.

“The military makes us undergo this training before sending people us out on the field…  When we got blown up and I lost my arm, we kind of lost Steve too. If it weren’t for our training then we might have really lost him to the Zone.” Bucky explained. “We were pretty much removed from any chances of extraction for fifteen minutes give or take five minutes, we’d have lost him by then.”

“It’s quite common to find Sentinels in the military’s ranks due to the nature of their work. In SHIELD, their numbers are inconsequential compared to the military’s; it’s why it’s rarely considered to be a requirement for a SHIELD agent’s work. Except those who are constantly sent on the field.”

“Then shouldn’t everyone here except me be trained?” Toni dared to speak and watched everyone turn their attention on her.

“Natasha and I didn’t actually have time to participate in the Zone Out training for the newest agents because for one, I was sent on a mission very early on and had to miss it, and Natasha wasn’t really a SHIELD agent. SHIELD recruited her outside of their academy ranks.”

“So the training is actually for us three.” Toni considered.

“We’re all here thought, aren’t we?” Sam brought this fact to her attention a she began to become slightly self-aware.

“Is everything okay, Agent Stark?”

“Yes, please don’t mind me continue.”

 

With that the training continued and lasted about two hours before they were all sent back to their rooms. Toni was about to separate from the group when Steve caught up with her, “Hey Toni… Where are you going?”

She looked at him like he grew another head, “To my room…” She saw him begin to fidget, “Why are you asking?”

“I thought you might want to go back with us to the Bus… There’s movie night and…” He was interrupted by Toni’s excited answer.

“I totally forgot about that! Oh my God.” Toni joined the fold once again as Bucky burst out laughing.

“This is just so anticlimactic.” Bruce said with a small knowing smile.

“Anticlimactic, how?” Toni asked, confusion written all over her face.

“Bruce’s talking about Operation Team Stark we’ve been conducting…” Natasha admitted much to all of SWORD’s surprise while Steve’s jaw dropped.

“Nat! Why would you do that?” Clint hissed at her.

She simply shrugged, “She was bound to discover, sooner or later. It’s best to actually do it on our terms.”

“Your terms.” Sam corrected while Bucky was still busy collecting himself.

“Potato, Po-ta-to.” Natasha defended.

“Operation Team Stark?” While everyone was distracted, Toni turned towards Steve confusion written all over her face.

The super soldier sputtered unceremoniously while looking to be wishing he was anywhere but here that Bucky felt sorry enough for him to step in an save him by explaining, “This operation was actually conducted very early on around the time when the team first encountered you, and actually began to tolerate you. We wanted to recruit you, if you remember.” Toni nodded as the frown slowly began to subside. “And you rejected us, so we had a whole operation planned out to get you to join our ranks, even Pepper and Bruce joined in…”

He was cut off by Toni’s incredulous, “Pep, too!”

“Somewhere along the way the mission objective derailed.” Bucky continued with a small mischievous smile appeared on his face as he looked pointedly at Steve.

“It derailed into…” Toni prompted.

“Getting Steve to actually c-”

“That’s enough of that.” Steve interrupted him with a very firm voice.

Toni looked at him with a betrayed and equally amused look, “Why would you do that!? I deserve to know. The operation has my name written all over it.”

“Yeah, Steve she deserves to know.” Clint actually taunted much to Bucky’s absolute mirth as he burst out laughing.

“You guys are the worst.”

Sam actually pulled off the innocent face, “The worst? Us?! You’re the one who’s leaving her hanging, and suddenly we’re the bad guys.”

Steve actually groaned out, “Just shut up!” And Toni looked even more confused until Natasha came to put her two cents in.

“I don’t know why those guys ever did anything, all I ever wanted was another woman in the ranks. Can’t really tolerate those boys, alone, need someone to actually take some of the idiocy away from me.”

Clint started laughing at that, “What are you even talking about, Nat?! You were one of the first to support and even suggest the new mission guidelines. Stop messing with the new girl.”

“I’m not even a new girl…”

“You will be, if we promise you movie nights every week.” Bucky deadpanned which had Toni actually stumble for an answer before admitting sheepishly.

“I might consider it.”

They all ended up laughing once again while Steve joined in a second later, a slight blush playing on his face, and Toni stood there watching them like they grew a second head. Bruce and Natasha were the only ones to exhibit a modicum of self-control as the spy explained to Toni with an amused smile what just happened, “They’re just amused that after all the trouble we went through, getting Fury to agree to make us your backup, convincing Bruce to actually join us on field work, convincing the military to send in Rhodes as the liaison, and keeping other teams from actually snatching you away, all it really took was something as mundane as movie nights.”

Toni actually gasped at that while managing to look offended, “Movie nights aren’t mundane! I resent that statement.” And this set off another round of laughter.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 
> 
> Let me know what you think. And if you have any suggestions or thoughts about what you'd like to see going forward, I'm all ears.
> 
> Thank you!


	20. Chapter 20

 

 

Over the next few weeks, they all fell into a sort of routine where the whole team including Toni, Bruce and Pepper, occasionally Rhodey when he was in town, spent time together, making time pass by on their recoveries.

Toni noticed a lot of things during these few weeks: Like the fact that Clint and Natasha seemed to gravitate around each other in a sort of brother sister relationship which kind of reminded Toni of Wanda and Pietro Maximoff; Toni knew these two were close, she was also aware of that particular mission, the one where Clint was sent to actually kill the Black Widow and instead came back with her to SHIELD. She wasn’t aware of the mission-specific details nor was she aware of what came after Clint breaking every rule and standard SHIELD’s ingrained in them in the Academy. It was one thing to hear about this fearsome duo, and completely another thing to watch them with her own two eyes… She had a few fun and epic encounters with them when she was still in the Academy out of everyone in this team, the original one before all the other additions came about, they were the ones she knew the most, also they were the only ones who knew her which is more than she can say about the rest.

Sam, Bucky and Steve worked differently. Their military bond ran deep, it actually affected their everyday lives as well as their relationship with each other: She would stumble upon them sharing war stories and experiences with each other, occasionally bonding over shared habits which have developed while in the army.

She also came to know of the tragedy which befell Sam while on one of his missions: the day in which Riley died; It made her see Sam in a different light, he was after all one of the test pilots for the EXO-7 Falcon, her design, the one she gave the military while she was still a trainee under SHIELD. It also made her actually cherish having Rhodey back in her life when the reminder of how easily she could have lost him was thrust in her face.

Bucky and Steve shared a bond similar to that of Natasha and Clint, but going even deeper. They were brothers, of that she was sure; maybe not by blood, but close enough. Childhood friends and practically glued to the hip. No one did anything without the other, they both ended up volunteering for the same super soldier serum; they both ended up on the same team in the military; they also both ended up on the same team in SHIELD. Toni didn’t think they ever contemplated being separated; it’s also why seeing Barnes actually missing an arm and in a near death situation could have sent Steve over the edge and into a zone.

Bucky was a fun person to have around. He shared the same sense of humor as her and flirted with practically everything. In fact, he even tried to flirt with Pepper, only to be terribly shot down by the woman, but Toni admired his style. She thought that if it weren’t for her style in men being restricted to blondies with blue eyes (and hell if that didn’t make Toni reconsider her life choices) she could have fallen in love with him. The Winter Soldier was also the first in SWORD, aside from Clint and Natasha, who actually approached her and gave her a chance when none of the others bothered to give her that courtesy. It’s why she found that her friendship with Barnes came easily compared to her friendship with both Sam and Steve…

Finally, out of all the original team, the one she ended up really observing was Steve. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone that she and Steve clicked in a way she hadn’t clicked with anyone else. They were both so different and yet so alike they ended up fitting like a puzzle. Steve is… precious. Really, it was the first word that came up in Toni’s head when thinking about Steve. He was attractive, smart, loyal to a fault and very, very stubborn; they always ended up butting heads because of that.

He got along with pretty much everyone on the team, as previously mentioned, his bond with Bucky beat his bond with everyone, but he still had bonds with everyone else on the team: He went to Sam whenever he felt like he needed someone’s guidance. He went to Natasha whenever he needed someone’s very objective opinion over something. He went to Clint whenever he wanted someone’s judgement and take over a situation. He went to Bucky for all of those combined, which is why he was his second in command. Toni also saw how everyone deferred to him, they all trusted him: It particularly showed especially with both Natasha and Clint. Knowing them for the longest, Toni thought they either worked alone or together never as a team; Coulson told her as much, back when he was trying to convince her to join a team. Consequently, for them to have settled with this team, with Steve as their captain, it said a lot. It said a lot about the dynamics of this team, the type of Captain Steve is and how they functioned as a whole; spending time with them had Toni actually consider becoming part of the team instead of doing it all on her own.

 

 

 

Eventually, SWORD was due to a return on the field in the next week, it’s why suddenly Toni’s schedule seemed to become crowded. It all started when Natasha came up to her while she was actually working on her tablet on designs that will have to wait until she got a semblance of functionality back.

“We’re going shopping,” was Natasha’s statement as all the heads turned towards her, and Toni’s jaw dropped.

“Shopping?” Toni repeated dumbly, a follow-up question immediately came after, “We?”

“You, Pepper and me are going shopping.” The statement was once again delivered very calmly and with a complete straight face, this time by Pepper who just came up behind Natasha.

Toni was actually starting to look doubtful, “Is that like a codeword? Are you luring me out of HQ to kill me and dump my body somewhere no one could find?”

Bucky, Sam and Clint snorted at that while Bruce and Steve were regarding her with amused smiles. Natasha wasn’t the least affected, her poker face still one. “Yes exactly that. Now are you coming or not?”

They were all waiting for Toni’s reaction and burst out laughing when it ended being, “Oh fuck it. It’d be a very fun way to go.”

“Your self-preservation skills leave a lot to be desired.” Bruce commented.

“I think we can all agree that she never had those skills to begin with.” Clint chuckled at that.

Bucky held up his hand enthusiastically. “Hear, Hear!”

Toni huffed at that and pouted. “I don’t know why I tolerate you guys.”

Sam answered, “It might have something to do with the fact that you would hardly be functioning right now if it weren’t for our dotting.”

She gasped at that and replied back. “I resent that statement.”

“Doesn’t make it any less true.” Steve shrugged playfully to which Toni held up a hand over her heart.

“Et tu, Steven?”

“Are you guys done with the dramatics?” Pepper regarded them with a hint of playfulness and impatience. “Can we be on our way now?”

“You’re such a party pooper sometimes, Pep.”

“Someone’s got to keep you in line.” Natasha retorted which had Toni pout again.

Pepper began leading her out of the room, followed by Natasha and the team’s goodbyes. “Why are we really going out?” Toni asked when they were alone.

“SHIELD gala.” Natasha answered.

“They do galas?”

Pepper looked sheepish, “I may or may not have a hand in that.”

Two minutes went by with Toni looking at a flustered Pepper without moving before she snapped out of her daze to admit, “Why am I not surprised?”

Pepper shrugged while Natasha began walking again as the trio continued talking about the gala, and the people that were invited as well as the venue and other unimportant things until they began their shopping in various outlets, trying out dresses and heels. When they were done buying most of the clothing shops out there, the three of them went to a restaurant and sat there for a good two hours talking, laughing and mainly taunting Toni.

“So when’s your date with Steve?” Pepper asked.

“Not a date.” Toni retorted.

Natasha raised an eyebrow at her, “Are you sure? It looks like it’s a date.”

“It’s not.”

“So we can actually tag along?” Pepper said amusedly, knowing full well what Toni’s answer’s going to be.

Toni stammered at that, “W-What… I mean… W-Why. But… I-”

“Got my answer.” Pepper smiled triumphantly at that.

“Pepper!” Toni complained, “It’s not fair…”

“What, Pepper meant is that you have an obvious crush on Steve.”

“I don’t.”

“Yes you do. And it shows, to everyone. I’m pretty sure even the STRIKE Team knows. It’s hilarious really how oblivious you are to your own actions.” Natasha smiled knowingly at her. “All I’m saying is that, you can stop torturing yourself over whether or not it’s mutual. I’m telling you it is.”

Toni groaned at that and hid her face between her hands. “Stop it, Tasha.”

“She’s not going to stop. And even if she does I won’t.” Pepper assured.

“It’s not a big deal.”

“It is! I know that you’re not this dumb when it comes to how Steve feels about you.” Pepper said pointedly. “So tell me what’s wrong.”

“You know what’s wrong.”

“I don’t.”

“It’s that sentinel thing?” Natasha took a guess.

“It’s that sentinel thing.” Toni nodded.

“Sentinels and Guides can be platonic. Elisabeth told us that.”

“She also told us that around 2% of those relationships end up platonic.” Toni replied back, “I know the percentages. It’s not that common. I just… I can’t.”

“You can’t what?”

“I don’t think I can bear the thought of someday Steve ending up finding a guide and them bonding together only for it to become romantic.” Toni admitted embarrassedly as both Natasha and Pepper shared looks while remaining silent. “Does it make sense now?”

“It does… We get it. It’s just the way you two have been acting.”

“I know alright? I know what it looks like. I know what I want it to look like… I can’t deny that I’m loving every second of it, and I can’t deny that I want it to become a constant… I love him… Does it really come as a surprise that I have terrible self-control and self-preservation skills? Did you guys not make fun of me because of it?” Natasha’s all-knowing look made Toni actually deflate as her head ended up on top of the table, sighing tiredly. “I don’t know what to do… I love him.”

“Oh Toni…” Pepper whispered apologetically before she went and pulled Toni in for a hug.

Toni muttered tiredly at Natasha, “Can you not… tell him?” The frown she got in response made her actually regret ever saying it.

She got an answer nonetheless, “You have nothing to worry about.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's a new chapter guys!
> 
> The plot will be a bit slow in the next few chapters; we're steadily approaching the climax, so bear with me.
> 
> Thank you for your support! _And special shoutout to Mistra_Rose and RingwraithBookworm, you guys are awesome! Thank you._ ♥


	21. Chapter 21

 

 

After their little heart to heart, Toni and Natasha grew closer, if growing closer meant that now they both shared knowing looks whenever Toni and Steve end up doing something really domestic together. Like washing the dishes together, or making popcorn together, even teaming up together in game night.

“He’ll get mixed signals like that, Toni.” Natasha’s lips thinned while she carded her hands through Toni’s hair.

While her head was lying on Natasha’s lap, Toni looked up at the spy, “I know that.”

“Do you?” Natasha looked at her with understanding in her eyes, “I just don’t want you two to end up hurt.”

Toni’s hands hid her face as she sighed, “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“You have to see if you’re willing to take a chance with Steve, or not. Because if not… This needs to stop, Toni.”

“I know.” Toni’s voice seemed gutted. Natasha wouldn’t tell anyone, but she hated how pained Toni seemed.

“Toni, you okay?” Steve’s voice filled the room as he and Bucky came back from their sparring session.

The genius looked up at Natasha in supplication before turning her head and burying it in the spy’s stomach in an attempt to gather her wits. “Yeah she’s fine. You can tone it down with the mother-henning, Mama Bear.”

Clint came up next, immediately dissolving in laughter as he heard Natasha’s nickname for Steve. “Mama Bear! This is precious. You have a knack for these things, Tasha.”

Steve blushed furiously at that while at the same time, approaching the couch where Toni and Natasha were lying. “Toni?”

Taking a deep breath, Toni sat up slowly, and looked up at Steve with a small smile, “Yeah, Cap?”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Nat did.”

“I wanted to hear it from you.” Steve insisted, and Toni noticed how his hackles raised.

“I’m…” She felt conflicted as she broke her eye contact with him, and cursed how flustered she was. “Fuck!” She got up immediately and went to make a hasty retreat only for Steve to call out to her.

“Toni, hey wait!” She froze up, and met his eyes as Steve took the few steps required to stand in front of her and take her hand in his.

The way he was looking at her, made her feel protected and treasured while at the same time, had that bone tiredness and conflict rear its ugly head back up in Toni’s mind. “You don’t have to go. I’m sorry I insisted.” Toni just broke, all of the tension in her body left her as Steve’s thumb stroked over her pulse, a move that had her practically melt and end up stumbling forward in his welcoming arms.

Toni could barely hear the rush of movement around her until her eyes met Natasha and the spy mouthed at her. “You made your decision.” With that, she heard everyone filter out of the room until only her and Steve remained.

“You’re scaring the shit out of me, Toni.”

“Language.” She muttered with a weak voice; he snorted nonetheless.

“This is not going to die any time soon, huh?”

“Pretty much so.” She buried in even closer in his arms. Steve was reluctant to do the same because of her injuries and instead elected to thread his fingers in her hair and bend down a little to bury his nose in it. “You always do that…” Toni said in an attempt to avoid the overbearing silence.

“What…”

“Burying your nose in my hair.”

“It smells good… Has a calming effect on me.”

“So you have a scent fetish.” Toni remarked.

Steve remained silent for a minute or so, before mouthing into her hair, “I have a Toni fetish.” Toni stiffened and felt herself blush while her heart hammered against her chest in such a way that she knew Steve could actually hear it, what with his enhanced senses. “Does it make you uncomfortable?” Steve ventured on, and hit bullseye.

“W-What?”

“My fetish, the hair scenting thing… Does it make you uncomfortable?”

So this is what Steve meant when he asked that question, “It doesn’t… I like it.”

Steve actually hummed at that, “You do?” Toni nodded against his chest, feeling increasingly warm and safe. “I’m glad… I don’t know what I would have done if you said you wanted me to stop. Doing that helps me stay grounded.”

“It does?”

“More than you could possibly know.” Steve breathed in.

“So this is what you meant when you told me, I’m your tether?”

“Among other things.”

“Other things?” Toni prompted.

Steve’s voice turned fond at that, “I don’t think you’re ready for them right now, Toni.”

She looked up at him, feeling offended, “What does that mean?”

He chuckled at her, and she felt the slight rumbling in his chest where her hands ended up. “Nothing you need to concern yourself about as of now.”

“Well no can do on that front. Tell me…”

“Trust me?” He asked instead.

“Of course.”

“Then just wait.”

“I never was good at this sort of thing.”

“Practice makes perfect.”

“You’re an ass, I hope you know that Rogers.”

He smiled down at her, “Language.”

“And such a shit, too, by the sounds of it.” She smiled back, settling back into the hug. “I love your hugs.” She felt him slightly tightening his hold, still very careful not to hurt her, and if that made her chest feel warm, no one needed to know.

 

 

“Dress up, Stark! We’re taking you to Coney Island.” Clint came at her the next day.

“Who’s we?”

“Bucky, Clint and I.” Sam answered as both Bucky and him looked at her expectantly.

“Give me half an hour.” Toni said from where she was drinking her coffee in her pajamas on the kitchen counter.

“You got it, sunshine.” Bucky answered to which Toni actually smirked.

“Don’t let Steve hear you say that.” She went to her room to get dressed.

Steve entered the kitchen not even minutes after her saying, “Don’t let me hear what?”

Clint immediately tattled. “Bucky called Toni sunshine.”

“Dude! Do you want him to kill me?” Bucky hissed at the archer, only for Sam to actually snort which caught their attention and had them looking back at Steve to find a lovesick expression on his face.

“She is, isn’t she?”

“You broke him.” Clint whispered at Bucky who punched him.

“Who did you guys break? And how?” Natasha entered the room to find the current scene in front of her. “We’re talking about Steve and his lovesick look, right?”

Sam shrugged, “It was only a matter of time before we broke him, really.”

“Are you guys done?” Steve asked, his expression settling back to normal.

“We should be asking you this question Steve. Are you?” Clint wiggled his eyebrows at the captain only for Steve to actually shake his head disappointedly.

“Incorrigible.”

True to her words, it took Toni half an hour to be ready and to go out with the guys to Coney Island; the place actually pulled a reaction from Steve, glaring daggers at Bucky who seemed really pleased with himself, flipping his best friend off as the four of them made their way out.

“Ever been to an amusement park?” Sam asked her.

“No… Never really had enough time.” Toni admitted a bit ashamedly, which prompted Bucky to actually thread his arm around her shoulder and pull her against his side.

“Then you’re in for the ride of your life, doll.” Bucky drawled at her with a disarming smirk while Clint whistled.

“You’re in for the beating of your life Barnes.”

“Shut up, snitch.” Bucky shot back which had Toni chuckle slightly.

“I can’t wait for you to show me a good time.” She flirted back, an easy smile settled on her face.

Bucky threw his head back and laughed, “I sure will.”

And the thing is, Bucky was completely 100% serious about that, because the amount of care and attention he exhibited while they were in Coney Island would have made any girl feel special. Sam and Clint were also very invested in making her day, but Bucky seemed like a man on a mission. When Toni went to ask him about it, he’d shrugged and said it's how he is, apparently he “can’t see a beautiful dame and not be invested in her comfort and happiness”, he also followed it closely with a “If only you weren’t Steve’s girl” to which Toni actually blushed and waved her hands in denial.

“I’m not” was Toni’s low answer.

Clint snorted at that, “You actually buy that!” He looked at Sam and threw his thumb in Toni’s direction, “Can you believe that?”

Sam laughed at that, “I can see where she’s coming from.”

“Well I can’t.” Clint admitted.

“Does this mean I can still make advances at you?” Bucky asked with a knowing smirk.

“Didn’t stop you before, even when you thought I was Steve’s girl.” Toni pointed out.

“You think this is me making passes at you?” Bucky chuckled, “You should have seen me back in the days, before we joined the military. Let Steve tell you, how about that?”

“Speaking about Cap, what’s his thing with Coney Island?”

A burst of laughter was all Toni got for a whole minute before Bucky sobered up a little and began his story, “Steve wasn’t always like that… He was very sickly when he was young. For some reason, we had the brilliant idea of sneaking out and going to Coney Island. So anyway, we tried practically everything; most of them were on the safe side, in our comfort zone, until I suggested we try the Cyclone. Steve was completely against the idea, it was hilarious how adamant he was about his refusal to go on that roller coaster, and to be fair he was making a good point: We had just eaten a hotdog. Anyway, so I convinced to try it out, and he ended up throwing up his lunch. He doesn’t have good memories of Coney Island.”

“I can see why.”

“So want to try out the Cyclone?” Bucky had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face in the history of shit-eating grins; Toni found that she loved it.

A few hours later, the four of them came back to SHIELD HQ holding balloons, a teddy bear as well as cotton candy they were diligently eating.

“So how was it?” Natasha asked as soon as they came back into the Bus.

“A lot of fun, wisecracks, screaming and flirting.” Clint filled her in as Steve caught the last bit.

“Flirting?”

“Bucky was shamelessly flirting with your girl, Steve.”

“You really are a snitch, Barton.” Sam said it with an amused tone.

“M-My girl? What?” Steve was stunned to say the least, his jaw had dropped while Toni blushed.

Clint looked at Bucky with alarm on his face. “RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, it’s now or never!”

“Stop being so dramatic.” Natasha hit Clint in the back of his head before throwing a glance in the direction of a gaping Steve. “Besides, you’ve broken him again. Fix him.”

“It was harmless flirting, really.” Toni explained to Steve as she approached him. “He didn't mean anything by it.”

“Except when he said if only you weren’t Steve’s girl.” Clint tattled again, earning him a murderous look from Bucky promising pain, real excruciating pain, as well as another hit from Natasha.

Steve’s voice became dark at that, “He did?” He levelled Bucky with a challenging look.

“I’m not gonna steal your girl from you Steve! Back down.”

“I’m not you girl technically.” Toni said and the way Steve turned his head to look at her must have given him whiplash. “I’m not… You never got around to asking me.”

“You want me to ask you, then?”

Toni blushed at that while defyingly asking back, “Would you?”

Steve looked at her for a long time before settling down. “I already told you, Toni.”

“What did you tell me?”

“You’re not ready…”

Toni bristled at that, “And I still don’t get it.”

“Neither do we.” Bucky commented which successfully managed to catch Steve’s attention once again and made the winter soldier slowly back away while lifting up his arms in surrender. “I really didn’t mean anything by it! I swear.”

Clint whispered at him, “Run,” and he did. Oh God, he did; closely, followed by Steve.

“Children.” Natasha sighed before disappearing somewhere.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was fun to write. I love writing Bucky flirting with Toni!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _“I’m not you girl technically.” Toni said and the way Steve turned his head to look at her must have given him whiplash. “I’m not… You never got around to asking me.”  
>  “You want me to ask you, then?”  
> Toni blushed at that while defyingly asking back, “Would you?”  
> Steve looked at her for a long time before settling down. “I already told you, Toni.”  
> “What did you tell me?”  
> “You’re not ready…”  
> Toni bristled at that, “And I still don’t get it.”  
> “Neither do we.” Bucky commented which successfully managed to catch Steve’s attention once again and made the winter soldier slowly back away while lifting up his arms in surrender. “I really didn’t mean anything by it! I swear.”  
> Clint whispered at him, “Run,” and he did. Oh God, he did; closely, followed by Steve.  
> “Children.” Natasha sighed before disappearing somewhere._

 

 

Both Coulson and Pepper had been trying to get her to visit SHIELD Academy ever since she became head of R&D and later a field agent; now that she was benched, their requests only grew more stressful, and now Toni found it really hard to find excuses. Which is why she refused to suffer alone and managed to also drag Bruce into this, much to the scientist’s disarray and the agents’ delight.

It really was just a tasteless little speech given to the young agents training there, and a lot of observing and giving advice. It wasn’t until Toni witnessed a young man fail miserably at hand to hand only to impress largely when it came to sciencing that Toni approached him with interest in her eyes.

“What’s your name, kid?”

“Peter Parker, Ms. Stark. And I’m fifteen, not a kid.”

“Fifteen is the age of a kid.”

“No it’s not. I’m a teenager at worst.”

“You mean at best.” She corrected before gesturing at the experiment he’s working on. “What’s that?”

“I’m trying out a web-like component…”

“Webs? Like spiders?”

“Exactly like spiders.” Peter nodded as his eyes lit up and began explaining to her everything he’s been testing out, the various failures and successes he’s been encountering ever since he began his little solo crusade. This quickly developed to Peter introducing himself properly, and talking a bit about his background and how he grew up an orphan with his aunt and uncle taking him in for two years before he decided to join SHIELD, following in the footsteps of his parents who were spies themselves. As Peter went on, Toni grew fonder and fonder until she couldn’t help but interrupt him and call out to Coulson and Pepper while announcing. “Alright, I’m adopting him. He’s mine. The poor soul who dares to touch him will have to deal with me, and trust me you don’t want that.”

“Toni…” Pepper said unapprovingly.

“It’s done, Pepper! Peter Parker’s mine, and Bruce if he wants to share,” the doctor in question just shrugged at that, before Toni continued, “but he’s mine. Unless he doesn’t want to?”

Peter looked like a fish out of water, “I don’t know what that entails…”

Toni actually keened at that. “So precious. It entails me becoming your mentor, doing science stuff with you and invite you to spend some time with me and my Science Bro.” She then tilted her head to the side with a small smile, “How does that sound?”

Peter snapped out of his daze and went looking around for Coulson, when he finally caught sight of him, he addressed him. “Where do I sign?”

Toni actually snorted at that before ruffling his hair, while all the other trainees mumbled under their breaths at how good Peter’s luck seemed only for Toni to glare at them for good measure, and they went back to working furiously.

“Actually, it’s not a bad idea.” Coulson said as he approached Toni, “The mentorship thing.”

“It isn’t?” Toni was startled while Peter continued to watch the interactions between the agents. “You actually approve.”

“Does this mean that Peter’s done with his training at SHIELD Academy?” Pepper asked.

“Both his field training and his courses won’t stop. Just the lab time, I guess… He’ll spend it with you, Stark, I take it.” Coulson asked her.

“You bet he will.”

“Not for another month he won’t.” Pepper chastised her.

“You’re no fun.” Toni pouted.

“You can come spend time with me, Peter.” Bruce suggested.

“You’re trying to take him away from me! I won’t let you, Bruce.”

“I’ll be sure to sing your praises while he’s there.” Bruce teased her.

“I will be there.”

“No you won’t. JARVIS has strict orders not to let you go inside the workshop for at least three weeks.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Toni hissed at that. “I won’t do anything… Bruce can be there to make sure I don’t.”

“No offense Dr. Banner, but he’s the last person we’ll count on when it comes to taming your workaholic self.” Coulson said while nodding apologetically at Bruce.

“None taken!” Bruce smiled warmly at the agent while at the same time he engaged in a conversation with Peter about his little experiment and the possible uses for such an invention.

“You guys are the worst. Ever.” Toni deflated. “What have I ever done to you?”

“You’ll thank us in a month.” Pepper deadpanned.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Potts.”

“Aw… Are you actively pouting?” Pepper cooed at her.

“Knock it off!” Toni said despondently. “I’m revoking your protocols once I’m authorized back inside.”

“It won’t be a problem; Steve will take it from there.” Pepper grinned at her with a little hint of mischief. “You’re his girl after all, aren’t you?!”

Toni’s jaw dropped at that just as Coulson and Bruce’s attention snapped back at her; the doctor asked, “It’s official?”

“Congratulations are in order then!” Coulson mused.

Toni actually blushed at that, “No! No she’s bluffing! Don’t mind her.”

“According to Steve, she’s still not ready.” Pepper explained, “I don’t know what he’s waiting for, but everyone’s kind of accepted that she’s off limit now.”

 “You and Nat are spying on me.” Toni stated soullessly.

“It’s not spying if one of us was there to witness it happen.”

“Gossiping then… Which is ten times worse.” Toni grumbled while watching Bruce and Peter interact.

“Well… Guilty as charged.” Pepper smiled at her defiantly, “What are you gonna do about it?”

“You are insufferable, Agent Potts.”

“Really? Me? I’d say this particular adjective fits you better.” Pepper began walking towards the exit with Toni following her.

“Nah! You’ve got me beat.”

“Wouldn’t be the first thing I beat you in.” Pepper chuckled with mirth in her eyes.

“See what I’m talking about?”

Pepper approached Toni and planted a sweet forehead kiss on her before holding the door’s handle and asking, “I have paperwork to fill. I trust you’re good on your own, yeah?” Toni nodded at her, “Then, will that be all, Agent Stark?”

“That will be all, Agent Potts.”

Pepper smiled at her, “Take care of yourself, okay? Rhodey will be visiting in the next few days.”

Toni perked up at that, “Awesome! I can’t wait.”

Pepper left them after that, and Toni went back and joined Bruce in his interactions with Peter. It was another half an hour with Peter and an addition thirty minutes with the other trainees before Coulson led the two scientists out of SHIELD Academy and back to HQ. Bruce and Toni then continued walking towards the Bus where the team seemed to be working on a few mission specific details for the operation which is going to be held next week. Sam and Bucky greeted them enthusiastically, claiming they came at a perfect time; actually, they claimed that Toni came at a perfect time to distract Steve long enough for him to cut SWORD some slack. The thing is, they were right, as soon as Steve spotted her, he stopped whatever Clint, Natasha and he were working on, and took the few steps necessary to bring himself next to her.

“How was your day?” He asked with genuine interest in his eyes.

“Honestly? It was surprisingly fun. I might do it again.” Toni admitted, almost embarrassedly.

“She kind of adopted one of the trainees there.” Bruce told them which had Toni smiling as she remembered what a character Peter was.

“Huh…” Sam remarked, “Let me guess, he’s a mini her?”

Bruce chuckled at that, “You have absolutely no idea.”

“We can imagine though.” Clint said with an amused tone.

“I’m sure I’ll hear all about it from Pepper.” Natasha shrugged and went back to whatever the hell she and Steve were working on, minutes ago.

“What’s the trainee’s name?” Steve asked which was a serious respite from all the teasing and banter going around her.

“Peter Parker. He’s a fifteen-year-old bundle of cuteness! Isn’t he Bruce?” Toni began telling him all about the young teenager she just met.

“Very hyperbolic, really…” Bruce admitted in a soft voice. “He’s smart and awkward.”

“So he’s you?” Clint asked, only to be hit by Natasha yet again.

Bruce laughed at that. “He is, isn’t he?”

Toni grinned at that, “He’s our love child, Brucey Bear.” She heard someone hiss in the background before a low growl registered next to her; she turned and caught Steve, looking at her with a very deep look in his eyes. Toni sighed, “Stop it with the growling, Steve. It’s unbecoming.” She brushed him off, and continued teasing Bruce much to Steve’s surprise.

“Did Toni just ignore Steve?” Sam whispered to Clint.

“I’m actually a little bit proud?” Bucky said as the two of them turned to send him cautious looks. “What? He had it coming with his possessiveness.”

“Is it me or does he look like he’s even more infatuated with her?” Clint made the observation for the two of them to look in Steve’s direction and find his expression soften as he looked at Toni, laughing with Bruce.

“Yeah he is.” Sam and Bucky answered.

“It’s disgusting.” Clint noted which had Natasha shake her head at the team’s antics.

 

 

 

It was a mere two days before Rhodey was able to visit Toni; the lieutenant went into the hospital wing looking for the genius only to be caught by one of medical personnel there and redirecting him to SWORD’s whereabouts because apparently it was there, he had the most chances of catching the engineer. He did end up finding her there, making coffee with Captain America of all people, looking for all intents and purposes, like a couple.

“You are not supposed to be here.” Rhodey stated with a rather loud voice, in the hopes of catching the two’s attention.

“Rhodey!” Toni perked up as she spotted him and rushed to his side to give him a hug. “You’re back.”

“I told you I’d be.” He flicked her on the forehead, “Why aren’t you in your hospital room?”

“I got bored.”

Rhodey waited an additional minute before asking incredulously, “What is that all? You forewent bed rest because you got bored?”

“And restless.”

“Let’s not forget that.”

“When you say it like that it makes it sound dull and stupid.”

“Because it is dull and stupid.” Rhodey deadpanned.

“Come on, platypus. You know me. When have I ever stuck with what’s required of me.”

Rhodey conceded, “Doesn’t mean I like it,” he then went to glare at Steve. “I thought I told you specifically not to let her hurt herself.”

“She didn’t.” Steve assured him, “We’ve been with her ever since she got out. She didn’t hurt herself.”

“ _She_ is here… So you might want to include her in the conversation.”

“She’s okay, Rhodes. Really.” Steve assured him with an indulgent smile, “It’s good to see you back.”

“Likewise, Rogers.”

“So you two on good terms?” Toni asked as she watched their interaction.

“Never said we weren’t.”

“We have an understanding.” Steve explained to her which had Rhodey nod at him, looking rather pleased.

“That we do.”

“I don’t know how to feel about that.”

“He’ll still get the shovel talk, don’t worry.” Rhodey teased her and watched the blush slowly rise on her cheeks.

Steve chuckled at that before approaching Toni with her cup of coffee. “Here’s you coffee, Toni. It’s done brewing.”

“Thank you, handsome.” The simple word worked on having Steve puff up his chest with pride. “Let’s go Rhodey, we have a lot to catch up on.”

“Yeah we do. Even though I still don’t approve of you being out of medical.” Toni dismissed him and led him to her room.

“Deal with it.”

“Why are you in SWORD’s HQ?”

“Steve invited me, or actually insisted I go there so that the team can keep an eye on me.” Toni stated, “They said they didn’t want to upset you.”

“They’re good people.”

“The best.”

“And what’s up with Steve, huh? He’s like an oversized puppy who’s very pleased whenever his person praises him.” Rhodey whispered at her just as they settled in her quarters.

“What about him?”

“I heard some rumors while on the way here.”

“We’re not dating.”

Rhodey looked at her with a slight frown of confusion, “I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing.”

“What are _you_ talking about?”

“Something about you becoming a team member.”

“ _OH!_ ” Toni exclaimed and watched Rhodey’s smile grow more and more dangerous.

“So dating, huh?”

“We’re not.”

“Aren’t you, though?”

“I just said-”

“But you also thought-”

“It’s just because-”

“Don’t you want to be?”

Toni stuttered and fell silent at that. “Yes I do.”

“That’s all that matters then.”

“Is it?”

“It has to be. Until it becomes official.” Rhodey smiled at her softly. “Now how about you tell me what you’ve been doing here, now that you’re out of the hell hole?”

“I knew you’d understand.”

“I’m just paraphrasing you.”

“Sure you are.” That made Rhodey chuckle and pull Toni into a very gentle hug, paying mind not to hurt her in the process.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait... Something came up and I couldn't find enough time to write the chapter.   
> Thank you for your patience. I hope you like it.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _“So dating, huh?”  
>  “We’re not.”  
> “Aren’t you, though?”  
> “I just said-”  
> “But you also thought-”  
> “It’s just because-”  
> “Don’t you want to be?”  
> Toni stuttered and fell silent at that. “Yes I do.”  
> “That’s all that matters then.”  
> “Is it?”  
> “It has to be. Until it becomes official.” Rhodey smiled at her softly. “Now how about you tell me what you’ve been doing here, now that you’re out of the hell hole?”  
> “I knew you’d understand.”  
> “I’m just paraphrasing you.”  
> “Sure you are.” That made Rhodey chuckle and pull Toni into a very gentle hug, paying mind not to hurt her in the process._

 

 

The days continued going by in a very similar fashion, that is until the promised day came. Steve called out her name while they were doing their morning routine : It mainly consisted in Steve cooking breakfast with Toni making herself a cup of coffee.

Toni -still a bit out of it due to lack of coffee as well as an additional layer of sluggishness- ended up humming in response; the answering smile she got made her heart melt at how sweet it seemed and would have effectively blinded her if it weren’t for her eyelids being already half closed as it is. “You with me, Toni?”

“Mmyeah…” She mumbled just as she swayed a little where she stood, gripping the kitchen counter in a desperate attempt to remain standing.

“You’re still half-asleep, aren’t you?”

“I guess…” She drawled out while feeling an arm go over her shoulder and pull her against a broad chest before the other lifted her effortlessly and took her to the common couch just on the other side of the room.

Steve slowly lowered her down on and laid her in the couch as gently as possible; she patted his shoulder weekly before snuggling into the blanket he pulled over her body, going back to cooking today’s breakfast.

The team filtered in not long after only to find the resident genius sound asleep on the couch, “Did she sleep here all night?” Sam asked.

“No, she just seemed too tired, it was a rather sad sight.”

Bucky regarded him for a moment, “You’re pretty pleased with yourself, huh?”

“You know the reason why she wakes up so early is because it’s the only time she gets to spend time with you alone, yeah?” Natasha pointed out, and was surprised to see Steve look like a gaping fish out of water.

“Really? That’s the reason?”

“You’re dumber than I thought you were.” Natasha sighed.

“Do we really want him as a Captain?” Clint asked which got him a punch to the arm from Bucky. “Ow! Why do you guys keep on abusing me?”

“You deserve it, Barton. Shut up…” Sam shot back as quickly as Clint voiced his complaint.

Steve kept throwing glances in Toni’s direction after that; it was around thirty minutes later that the team heard some mumbling and rustling before Toni’s head appeared over the back of the couch.

“You started without me.” She said with a reproachful and slightly sleepy look.

“We didn’t want to wake you up.” Bucky defended.

“Mmm… Thank you.” She propped herself up and off of the couch. “Mind if I join you?”

Steve smiled at her, “Stop messing around and come here.”

Toni walked sleepily towards them and settled in the reserved seat to Steve’s right; the soldier stood up and went to bring her a fresh cup of coffee, having discarded the one she made for herself which had long since turned cold.

“You’re lucky Steve loves you.” Clint whispered to Toni, “He never brings coffee to any of us.”

“Leave her alone, Clint.” Steve told him while his back was still to him.

“You know it’s creepy how we can’t seem to get anything past you.” Clint pouted.

“Maybe if you didn’t say my name I would have ignored you.”

“No you wouldn’t.” Sam pointed out.

“No I wouldn’t.”

“You were trying to make a point?” Natasha prompted him to continue. “Because it fell flat.”

“Really? I didn’t notice.” Steve deadpanned as he made his way back to the table, placing Toni’s cup of coffee in front of her.

“He has a sense of humor, everyone!” Clint hailed.

“Stop being a little shit, Clint.” Toni mumbled under her breath while reaching out for her cup of coffee and taking a big gulp.

Bucky hissed, “Isn’t it too hot?”

“Coffee…” Toni stated as if that’s supposed to be explanation enough.

Bucky waited a beat before trying again, “I’m sorry… Am I supposed to magically understand?”

“Toni means that she’ll tolerate anything and everything for a cup of coffee.” Steve explained dutifully while he took a bite of his peanut butter sandwich.

“You speak Toni now?” Sam grinned knowingly at him.

Toni leaned against Steve’s arm then, drinking her coffee and looking at everyone of them dead in the eye. “She’s actively gloating, isn’t she?” Bucky asked, a bit amused by what’s unfolding in front of him.

“Yes she is.” Natasha said, and watched Toni try to hide a small smile behind the cup she’s holding, but failing to do so.

When she finished it, Toni let out a yawn and stretched cat-like in front of anyone, rubbing her eyes languorously before finally blinking a few times at them and saying, “I needed that.”

“The sleep?” Sam asked.

“The coffee… Sleep is for the weak.”

“Says the one who just woke up ten minutes ago?” Clint noted while taking a huge bite off of his sandwich.

“You’re awfully sarcastic today, huh?”

“What do you mean? I’m always like this.” He shook his head disapprovingly.

“A pain in the ass that’s what you always are.”

“And I wear it with pride.”

Steve coughed at that, trying to get Toni’s attention which essentially worked as the genius turned to look at the soldier sitting next to her and looking at her both nervously and intently. “Are you okay, Cap?”

“I wanted to ask you something?”

Toni tilted her head, seemingly interested and attentive. “What is it?”

“I didn’t plan anything out, but I did say I’ll show you around once you’ve healed up. The other guys beat me to the punch, but it’s never too late. So will you? Go out? With me that is?”

“Is he asking her to be his girlfriend?” Sam whispered to Bucky.

“Knowing how emotionally constipated Steve actually is, I say he doesn’t even realize the meaning of what he said.” Bucky shook his head dejectedly, “He’s an idiot really.”

“Is he though?” Clint butted in as he analyzed Toni and Steve’s interactions. “It looks like his obliviousness is working.” They saw Toni blush slightly as a small smug smile appeared on her titled face.

“Took you long enough, Rogers.” Toni smirked at him, “I thought you’d never ask.”

“Should we tell them that they’re a couple?” Clint suggested, “It’s really getting old.”

“What are you talking about, Clint! It’s just getting interested… Let’s see how long it takes them to figure it out.” Bucky laughed discreetly.

“Am I the only one concerned that we’re being blatantly ignored when we’re literally seats away from them?” Sam quirked an eyebrow at the other two.

“Really, what did you expect?” Natasha sighed from where she was texting on her phone.

“Expect what?” Toni asked finally registering the conversation that’s been going on in the background. Natasha nodded at that before looking pointedly at the other trio which was holding their snickers. “Why are you laughing?!” The snickers grew louder, “Hey!” She pouted when she got no answer.

 

 

“So where are you two going?” Pepper asked the genius who was busy going over all of her clothes.

“I don’t know… He didn’t tell me.” Toni said sheepishly as she threw every article she came across on the bed.

Pepper frowned at the worsening state of Toni’s room. “Is that really necessary? You’re going to try all of those?” Toni looked at Pepper with the expression of a deer caught in headlights, prompting a laugh from the redheaded agent. “You really have no idea what to do…” She smiled softly at her friend, “You know that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you so flustered.” Pepper approached the injured woman and led her towards the bed. “To be honest… I’ve only known you for a few years and that’s the first time I see you acting this way.”

“How?”

“Carefree.”

“Carefree?”

Pepper’s smile turned even softer, “Ever since you joined our ranks, all you ever seem to do is work and train to the point of exhaustion. As your handler, I can tell you that you’re one of the best SHIELD has to offer.” Pepper crouched in front of Toni, steadying herself by putting her hands on Toni’s knees. “As your friend? I’m just really relieved that you’ve been resting, realistically, I would’ve preferred it to be in better circumstances, but I work with what I got. SWORD’s been taking good care of you, and it shows… I’m really glad.” Toni seemed to be a bit taken aback by Pepper’s words, watching her with widened eyes. The redhead huffed out a laugh and stood back up, going straight towards the pile of clothes on the bed, picking out an outfit effortlessly, “Do you trust me?”

Toni answered immediately and without thinking, “With my life.” Pepper’s expression at that was priceless.

 

“So when are you two going out?” Bucky asked Steve casually from where he and his best friend were sitting watching TV.

“In an hour.”

“And you still haven’t gotten dressed?”

“What do you mean I’m not dressed? I am.” Steve said casually.

Bucky sat up almost immediately, “You’re not serious, are you?”

“Bucky what…” Steve seemed genuinely confused.

“You lovable goof. Follow me.” Bucky ordered him, standing up and walking towards the living quarters. He looked back and saw Steve still sitting in a very bewildered state, “What are you doing still sitting there. Move it.”

Steve hurried after him, still somewhat stunned, “What’s happening?”

“You’re an absolute disaster.” Bucky opened the door to Steve’s room and ushered him in. “You are absolutely not going out with Toni on your date dressed like that.”

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

“Aside from it being plain and too mainstream? Everything.” He began rummaging in Steve’s closet. “What the fuck are those?! We have to take you shopping.”

“You sound like a girl.” Clint slipped out of the vent, scaring Steve to death. “Oh my God! What are you doing here?”

“I heard we were doing an intervention.” Clint said casually, brushing off Steve’s surprise and looking him over. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Barnes is right. This is outrageous.”

“What are we going to do with him, Clint?” Bucky crossed his arms together, looking thoughtful.

“Complete makeover. He needs to impress.”

“I’m right here, you know."

“No… Zip it! You’ve already said your piece and it’s disappointing.” Clint said with a dejected shake of his head.

 

 

As agreed upon, Steve and Toni both met up in the common room where all of SWORD including Bruce and Coulson were sitting around laughing. Steve came in with Clint and Bucky in tow followed almost a minute later by Toni and Pepper; silence befell the room as Toni and Steve’s eyes met, surprise clear in them.

Steve was the first to talk, taking in Toni’s whole look; the white lace cami top tucked under a distressed skinny jean coupled with an Indian red blazer, a few golden bracelets, a watch, a black handbag and black stiletto heels. Her makeup was also very light, and her hair loose and wavy at the ends. “You look gorgeous, Toni…”

“You don’t look so bad yourself, handsome…” Toni flirted almost instinctually, grinning at him. “You clean up real nice.”

Steve chuckled embarrassedly while rubbing the back of his head, “I owe it all to Bucky and Clint.”

“It’s alright! I owe this to Pepper, too.”

“You guys would be screwed if it weren’t for us.” Clint claimed.

“Touché.” Pepper smiled, sitting next to Natasha and seamlessly slipping into a conversation with the spy.

“Ready to go?” Steve asked softly.

“I’ve been ready since yesterday.” She smiled, and they were on their way.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so Steve and Toni will be going out... We've finally reached that point of the story. 
> 
> Updates will be getting slower from now on, because of my university and all that, so please be patient. Thank you for your support. ♥


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Ready to go?” Steve asked softly._
> 
>  
> 
> _“I’ve been ready since yesterday.” She smiled, and they were on their way._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I'm still alive.
> 
> I'm really sorry for the late update, and I'm also really sorry to tell you that the next one also might take a while. Life has been a bit hard these past few months, and I don't think it'll get any better any time soon.
> 
> That said, I insisted on posting at least one chapter at this time in order to celebrate Christmas with you.
> 
> So here we go, Toni and Steve's date.

 

 

At first, they were really nervous and barely looked at each other as they walked between the busy people of New York. It was, however, quickly becoming unbearable, so Toni had to do something about it. “Where are you taking me?”

“To watch a basketball match…” Steve said, glancing in Toni’s direction catching her surprised face. “I hope you don’t mind? I saw you and Clint get pretty pumped up over NBA.”

“Oh no! I’m a fan… I was just not expecting it.” Toni said with a small smile.

He answered her back with a smile of his own. “It’s Brooklyn Nets against Los Angeles Lakers.”

“Brooklyn huh?” Toni chuckled. “How are we going there?”

“This is our first stop actually.”

“The subway?”

“No… You’ll see.”

Toni and Steve ended up in the vehicle shop of SHIELD HQ going through various motorcycles.

“You know when you said we’ll be going out, I didn’t think I’ll end up riding a bike.”

Steve looked completely uncomfortable, “Do you not want to?”

Toni chuckled, “Are you kidding me? This is like the best… I’ve always wanted to get my hands on something like this.” She put her hand over a 1942 Harley-Davidson WLA "Liberator" bike, caressing the body almost as if it was a lover. “I can feel the engines practically calling me.”

Toni snapped out of her trance, looking back at where Steve was supposed to be behind her, only to find him already paying and acquiring the keys and helmets. He then went back to join her side and looked at her, “You ready to take her on a ride?”

“You didn’t have to get this one.”

“I wanted to…” Steve smiled at her. “I like it. You like it. It’s a win win situation.” He handed her a helmet. “Here… Put it on. We don’t want your hair to be all over the place. Not when you look this beautiful.”

Toni accepted the helmet and froze. She just froze, staring at him with wide eyes. “Are you… Steve…” Her voice was choked up which was what caught Steve’s attention.

“Hey… Hey Toni! Are you alright?”

“I…” Toni blinked up at him, almost dumbly; her cheeks gradually becoming redder. “It’s nothing…”

She put on the helmet, and waited for Steve to put his own. He then sat down and offered his hand to Toni, intending to help her get onto the bike; when she did, he stated. “Put your arms around me. And hold on… I might break a few speed limits.”

Toni could feel her heartbeat quicken at that, filling her up with the appropriate amount of adrenaline to get pumped up and excited at the prospect of speeding up down the streets of New York. She’s always been an adrenaline junkie… It was partly why she loved field work. She felt the vibrations of the bike before realizing that Steve was getting ready to zip through the streets and towards Barclays Center; he looked back towards her. “You ready?”

Toni wound her arms even her injured one around Steve’s waist and tightened her hold. “Yeah… I am.”

“Let’s go then.”

And they were off driving between cars, crossing distances at an insane speed to reach our destination before the match begins. Toni couldn’t help but tighten her arms even more as she ended up leaning her body against Steve’s back, feeling the shift in his muscles every time he revved the engines as well as the way he straightened up a little when they stopped at a red light. The genius must have dosed off at some point because it was the combination of the feeling of inertia as well as Steve’s voice that woke her up. “Hey, Toni… Wake up.”

“Mmm…” She realized that her arms which were tightly wound around Steve were now merely loose. “We’re here?”

“Yeah… We should get going; we still have to find our seats.” Steve stated, “You okay?”

As an answer, Toni released her arms from their previous position and removed her helmet, getting off of the bike efficiently. “More than okay.” Steve nodded then did much of the same, removing his helmet and going to stand next to Toni in the next second.

Toni noticed Steve looking a lot in her direction while they walked towards the stadium with an air of uncertainty surrounding him. It was a moment later that she felt fingers brushing against hers, making her look up and catch Steve staring right back with a faint blush on his cheek, so Steve must have worked up some courage to do this and immediately follow it with his hand tentatively holding Toni’s loosely as if giving her enough leeway to either accept or deny this move.

_As if her reception can be anything other than positive._

Needing to be more assertive, Toni extricated her hand for just a moment, all the while watching him and seeing his expression turn crestfallen for a moment, and becoming surprised and hopeful as she took hold of his hand again, but differently this time, allowing her fingers to interlock with his. And she squeezed, a gesture meant to call for Steve’s attention, to call for his eyes to meet hers when they were previously trained at their hands; when her endeavor turned successful, Toni smiled diligently at Steve and went back to looking straight ahead as if nothing was amiss.

“You’re a wonder.” She heard him whisper to her side.

“Well… I can honestly say that this is the first time anyone’s called me that while on a date.”

“So it is a date…?” Steve tentatively asked.

“Shouldn’t you be the one telling me that it is?” Her voice had an amused tone to it, “Rather than it being the other way around?”

“I haven’t really done this before.” Steve said with a low voice, sheepishly.

“Going on a date?”

“Being with a girl.”

“So you swing both ways, huh?” Toni teased him a little playfully wanting to get rid of the way he seemed to be growing more and more nervous.

“N-No, I’m not… I… That’s… That’s not what I meant.”

Toni chuckled then winked at him, “Relax, Steve… Even if you were, I wouldn’t have minded.” She squeezed his fingers again, “Let’s just enjoy this. This is really nice…”

“What is?”

“You… Me… All of this. It may or may not be a date, but I’m enjoying it… I really am.”

A silence befell them, and when Toni glanced in Steve’s direction she found him staring right back with a shy smile on his face.

An hour later, she two of them found themselves among the crowd watching the ball from one player to the other as the two teams competed. At the end of the second quarter and during the 15 minutes break, they cheered and applauded along with the crowd when the cheerleaders came in, and then watched the kiss cam on the jumbotron go over the several couples littered around.

_If you were to ask Toni, she’d tell you that it seemed fate really liked to mess with them._

Next thing they know, the two of them were there on the big screen seeming surprised and a bit panicked, so they turned and locked eyes with each other. Toni could pinpoint the exact moment Steve made up his mind, his eyes turning determined and daring. He lifted up his hand and gently laid it over her cheek before pulling her head in and giving her a tender lingering kiss on the lips.

When they parted, Toni realized that for those brief seconds, the world fell away and all she could _feel_ were Steve’s lips against hers and the palm of his hand against her cheek. Now, she was once again able to hear the sound of the crowd as they applauded and cheered for them before moving on to the next couple, yet somehow despite it all, Toni couldn’t seem to stop looking at Steve once she opened her eyes back.

She couldn’t… Not when he was this close. Not when their breaths were mingling. Not when their foreheads were leaning against each other. Not when they just kissed.

They kissed…

They freaking _kissed_.

That single statement sent shivers down her spine and made her next breath stutter, and, while she was locking eyes with Steve, admiring the little specks of green in that sea of blue as well as watching the swirl of emotions in them, the fading determination and growing apprehension, Steve’s hand remained on her cheek, caressing it lightly as if she was something precious, something to protect…

She lifted both of her hands, held the back of his head, her fingers playing with the ends of his hair almost immediately, and pulled him closer until only a hair breadth remained, Toni whispered then, “You’re the definition of temptation, Steve…”

She felt him gulp, trying to compose himself enough to reply, “Really? Because it seems to me like you’re the one who should hold that title.” She brushed her lips against his and exhaled a stuttering breath. “You’re a goddamn tease, Toni…”

He felt her chuckle slightly before she closed the distance and kissed him. The swipe of her tongue against his bottom lip had him open his mouth to a little tongue on tongue action before Toni retreated a bit, enough to be able to take in much needed air.

Later, she’d blame the whole atmosphere, Steve’s gentleness and her lack of self-control for what she did next… But now? Now, it felt right. It felt like finally finding that final piece to that jigsaw puzzle that was her life. It felt like a bird set free, from all those restrictions, she herself had put in place. It felt like coming home. And damn if Toni wasn’t thoroughly missing this feeling…

_But isn’t that what soulmates feel like?_

Doused with the ice cold truth, the spell broke…

She let go of him, horribly self-conscious of what they just did, what she just did. He did the same too, both going back to watching the game as it set off once again, yet Steve’s hand still found Toni’s and covered it with his, as inconspicuously as possible. On the other hand, Toni’s free hand went up to her face, her fingers finding her lips and remaining there, a slight flush perfectly visible on her cheeks.

_So much for not risking becoming emotionally vulnerable and getting her heart broken._

 

The two of them didn’t really talk after this little incident. A comfortably stifling awkward silence reigned around them as they made their way through the leaving crowd and towards the parking lot where their bike was waiting for their return.

Steve was the first to get on it, except it wasn’t the usual position for someone who wants to ride a bike, he was just sitting there and looking straight at Toni. He didn’t say anything, he was just staring, making her feel a bit self-conscious, but also a bit angry. She didn’t understand what he was trying to do, it felt like she was being analyzed, and she didn’t know how to feel about that.

Nonetheless, while Toni was lost in her internal discussion, Steve had approached her with her helmet in his hands; he gently pushed her hair away from her face and then put it for her as gently as he could, then he rode his bike properly and extended his hand at Toni with a small smile on his face; Toni could see the faint blush on his cheeks, and she was sure she had the very same on hers. “I have somewhere I want to show you.” He said it so simply, it had Toni respond in kind. She accepted his outstretched hand and followed it to where it was leading her, on the bike and behind him… His hands then found Toni’s once again and guided them around his waist and on his chest, squeezing them once. “Hold on tight.”

Toni sighed then leant against his back while tightening her hands as much as she could. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

She heard him huff while putting on his own helmet and jumpstarting the bike. He drove around ten minutes then stopped in front of a park where he parked his bike and urged Toni to get up. Then, he took her hand and led her into the park until they reached the pedestrian walkway at the very edge, overlooking Lower Manhattan in all its nightly glory.

“They call this Brooklyn Promenade. Bucky and I used to come here a lot when we were kids. Our parents would bring us here and send us off to play in the park; I always said I’d come here someday and draw the night view. Although, I never ended up doing it… Never really got the time.”

Mesmerized… This was the word for Toni’s impression right now, and as such she couldn’t stop herself from agreeing, “It’s beautiful… I didn’t know there was a place with such a nice view… And if you squint real hard you can also see the stars.”

Steve saw her lean on the railing and point at the several stars she seemed to find as well as pointing at the skyscrapers and trying to guess each one’s name… Without thinking, Steve muttered, “It is beautiful.”

Toni stopped, finally noticing that Steve wasn’t actually talking about the view because he was busy looking at her, for the past couple of minutes while she was off talking excitedly about the view. Blushing furiously, Toni grumbled while putting her hands in front of his face and shielding herself from his eyes. “Stop it! This is so cliché.” She pouted when Steve leant to the side of the makeshift shield to look at her and as such turned away from him.

Despite her tries, Steve’s natural stubbornness showed as he took a few more steps towards her, “You think that’s cliché? Let me prove you wrong, hm?” He then lifted his hand to put it on Toni’s chin, forcing her head to turn to the side and caught her lips in an entrancing kiss, so much that Toni forgot why she was even turning away from him and turned back towards him to lace her hands in the back of his head, deepening the kiss.

When they parted, Toni’s hands fell down over his chest as they both stared at each other for a while before Steve pulled Toni in for a hug, his nose finding its way into her hair, breathing in a large intake of air before letting it out as well as the tension that’s been building up until then.

“Yeah this beats that, alright…” Toni muttered into his shirt.

“What?”

“The kiss here… It was even more cliché.”

Steve laughed at that, “I’d hate to disappoint.”

“You would never.”

“For you? You can be damn well sure I’d at least try my best not to.”

“I’ll take it.”

At this answer, Steve put some distance between them and looked down at Toni for a moment before kissing her forehead gently, both of his hands finding their way to her cheeks to caress them. “Do you want to go?” He suggested.

“Do we have to?” Toni mumbled, and the soldier could actually feel her cheeks warming up against his fingers.

“Not if you don’t want to.”

“I’d like to stay here… I don’t want this, whatever it is, to end.” She closed her eyes, and tilted her head forward in order for their foreheads to lean on each other.

“You got it.”

“It all seems like a spell.”

“The good kind, I hope?”

“The best kind.”

Steve’s answering voice was particularly warm this time. “It really is, huh…”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience.  
> I hope you liked the chapter, and I hope for the next wait to be smaller. Please bear with me.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this!  
> Thank you.


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